Our Training (classroom or live virtual) is based on brain based learning approach and techniques. We understand “knowledge is precious” so we create it with responsibility. We use limited class size with personal attention, interactive learning, activity based understanding of concepts, simulations and group discussion with knowledge sharing. So overall, it will be a fun filled, thought provoking learning experience for you. Below will be brief agenda of the topics that you will understand in the CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner) workshop.
Workshop Setup
I use Scrum to teach the Product Owner certification class. So I will introduce key elements of Scrum and we create a Vision for the workshop based on your objectives. Then we will agree on a backlog for the Training. As a Trainer, I will own and manage the Training backlog. We will agree for a Definition of done for the class and a Sprint duration. Typically the two days Training will be divided into 4 half-day Sprints. The participants will create a Sprint Burndown to track the progress. I will create a Release Burnup to track overall progress of the class. Then we will begin each topic discussion.
Product, Product Levels
Here you learn what is a Product and the 4 levels of Product (Generic, Expected, Augmented, Potential) through some examples. You will also do a group activity taking one of your favourite Products and identify the 4 levels of that Product.
Product Lifecycle
In this topic you will understand the 6 stages of Product Lifecycle. We also discuss why Products will get retired, what factors will be considered for retirement. We will brainstorm the Pareto rule and how value will be generated based on 20% of features.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Participants will understand what is MVP and what is the purpose of MVP, when Product Owner should go for implementing Minimum Viable Product. They also understand what MVP is and what MVP is not.
Project Vs Product
In this topic through an activity you will understand the characteristics of Project and Product. There will be a group discussion on these characteristics to get deeper understanding.
Project mindset Vs Product Mindset
Participants will go through an activity through which they understand “inside out” vs “outside in” approach and “predictive” vs “adaptive” planning and also “outcome” vs “output”. They also explore how a Product Owner has to transform from Project Mindset to Product Mindset
Agile Manifesto
The 4 values and 12 Principles of Agile Manifesto will be discussed in this topic. Participants will brainstorm how these values and Principles will help Product Owners to develop Product Mindset.
Scrum Overview
You will go through activity based learning of Scrum framework. The elements of Scrum: Values, Accountabilities, Artifacts, Events, and the Activity. How Product Backlog acts as a bridge between the Strategy and Tactical through the discussion. You also go through a simple example of “Online recruitment Product” to understand Scrum framework flow.
Product Owner Deep dive
Here you will go through a video of Product Owner and understand the Rights and Responsibilities and you will also brainstorm what are the decisions that Product Owner makes in the role, why Product Owner should be one person, not a committee, Stakeholder management in this topic.
Product Owner Characteristics
Not everyone can simply become a Product owner. There must be some characteristics such as Domain knowledge, Innovation, Communication, Empowerment, Accountability to become a great Product owner. We will deep dive these characteristics in this topic.
Product Owner Role in Sprint
Through an activity participants will understand what is the role of Product Owner during the Sprint:
Sprint Planning, Execution, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective and Product Backlog Refinement. We will also discuss what happens if the Product Owner does not available or does not perform his/her role properly during the Sprint.
Product Owner anti-patterns
Here is team will take one anti-pattern of a Product owner and discuss what are the pros and cons of that anti-pattern, how it impacts the role of Product owner, team and organization. This helps participants to get deeper understanding of the Product owner role to be implemented properly in the organization.
Product Discovery
Participants will understand the importance of identifying Products through empathizing with Users. They learn what are various techniques that can be used to empathize with users. This helps them to focus on the needs and pains and gains.
Persona
Persona is a key role in Product Development. It helps understand various types of users of the Product. They take a sample product of their choice from a list of 60 ideas and come up with possible list of Personas of that Product.
Value Proposition Canvas
Primary reason for most failed start-ups is “they create solutions for which there is no problem exists”. The Value Proposition Canvas helps Product owners to identify products that are market fit. Value Proposition Canvas helps Product owners to understand the underlying needs of users by empathizing with them and understand their pains and gains, accordingly creating a value map. Participants will create Value Proposition Canvas for the product they have selected.
Agile Product Planning
Here you will understand the 5 levels of Agile planning onion: Vision, Roadmap, Release, Sprint and Daily. You also discuss what is the Product owner role in these levels.
Product Vision
Vision helps you to “Begin with the end in mind”. Vision provides the direction. In this topic, participants will understand what is Product Vision, how it helps, how to create powerful Product Vision. They also create a Product Vision for their product using “Product Vision Poster”
Product Roadmap
Roadmap helps you to reach your destination. Similarly Product Roadmap helps you to reach your Product Vision. It is a strategic Product Plan. Participants understand how to create effective Product Roadmap using “Goal oriented Product roadmap” for their Product.
Prioritization Techniques
Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done is essential. 20% of the features contribute to the 80% of the overall Product Value. Less is More. All these concepts are lined to Prioritization. Participants will understand different prioritization techniques such as DOT voting, MoSCoW, Importance Vs Urgency, Value Vs Cost techniques. They also create a Epic Feature map for their Product and prioritize them using Importance Vs Urgency technique.
Product Backlog
Product Backlog is one of the artifacts of Scrum. It contains all the work that needs to be done for the Product. Product owner owns and manages the Product Backlog. Participants understand the characteristics of Product Backlog. They also create a Product Backlog for their Product that they selected earlier.
Product Backlog Refinement
Act of adding details, estimates and order is the Product Backlog refinement. Participants will understand the role of Product owner in Product Backlog Refinement, how the Development Team supports, how to conduct the refinement activity, when to have the backlog refinement during the Sprint in this topic.
User Stories & Splitting Techniques
In this topic participants learn and understand how to convert the backlog items into User Stories. They also understand the 3Cs of User story, how to write effective user stories that follow “INVEST” principle, how to create acceptance criteria, how to Split large User stories into smaller in this topic. They create few user stories for their Product along with acceptance criteria.
Release Planning & Tracking
Participants understand two types of release planning in this topic: Scope Driven, Time Driven. They create a Release Plan for their Product to get practical understanding of Release planning.
Sprint Burndown and Release Burnup charts (Not part of Scrum)
Throughout the class participants update the Sprint level burndown based on class progress. I as the Product owner of the class update the Release Burnup. Here participants will understand how to make scope vs time trade off decisions based fixed scope-variable time, Fixed time-variable scope, Fixed scope-fixed time and how to set expectations to the Stakeholders accordingly.
Simulation
This is to let Participants understand in depth about the release planning and tracking on their own with a simulation. The simulation contains the details for them to plan a release including number of sprints, identify Sprint cost and overall release cost. There will be Scenarios that help them understand some practical challenges that come on the way and how they can be addressed.
