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Different Product Owner certification and Why SAFe POPM

Updated: Jan 20, 2023

Steps for becoming an Ideal Product Owner:


Generally, Product Ownership pertains to having a grasp on the product from the inside out. It’s about understanding what customer wants/needs from the product and passing on the information to the development team.


The in-depth knowledge of the product makes Product Owners unique. They get to know what exactly the customer needs and help the same get implemented successfully. They assess the resources and time it may take to complete the tasks, envision a roadmap, and convey all of it to the development team. Additionally, they are in regular collaboration with the devs to ensure timely delivery.


"A hands-on Product Owner is someone who is actively involved in the development process, providing guidance and making decisions that drive the product forward." - Ken Schwaber


Characteristics of a hands-on Product Owner:

  • Customer Interaction and requirement gathering: Keeping in the loop the various stakeholders is important. However, the critical thing for a Product Owner is to listen to the customer and identify the unstated needs that they may not have thought of.

  • Cross-Functional Role: It is pertinent for the modern-day Product Owner to operate in multiple roles and capacities. He should be able to sync the team together.

  • Delegation: A Product Owner needs to be able to assess each of his team member’s strengths and delegate accordingly. Since Product Owners can have a Scrum Leadership position, developing an informal team of de facto Product Owners streamlines development.

A constant thrust on what the customer wants is the most vital of the process. Passing on the requirements baton via tools and resources at his disposal can make all the difference.


Product Owner Certification:


Product Owner certification is a set of credentials that lead a product strategist to be a certified Scrum Master or head of the Scrum Development Team. These credentials enable him to represent the customer and implement their demands specific to a particular product. The Skillset and Competencies a certification provides include:

  • A demonstrated ability to represent the customer/end-user to the development team.

  • Inside-out knowledge of the product and its capabilities.

  • A continuously evolving development mindset that's driven by user expectations.

  • Hands-on with agile principles, DevOps, and their company's agile manifesto

  • A knack for accurate value-based prioritization (specific to software development)

  • Ability to translate user stories into viable solutions within the product backlog

Normally, Product Owners are a step above product consultants. Instead of simply concentrating on product growth, they take on a more active role in product development. Product Owner Certification Courses: There are some certification courses that can deliver all the required knowledge and professional expertise needed for a sound Product Ownership career. Here are a few of them: 1. Certified Product Owner by Product Manager HQ: In this course, you will learn the key fundamentals of being a Product Owner, how to succeed at Product Owner interviews, and how to stand out as a more suitable candidate to land the job. It covers:

  • How to create your business model

  • Fundamentals of agile product management

  • Team dynamics, stakeholder management

  • How to validate your ideas, Scrum foundations

  • How to stand out in the recruiting process to land a Product Owner job.

  • How to answer Product Owner interview questions

It was created for people who want to learn agile product management skills. This is very relevant to those aspiring to be product managers. 2. Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO): The CSPO certification is a foundational Scrum Product Owner training course for primary stakeholders in the Scrum Team. A CSPO delivers a basic understanding of the central Product Ownership principles. Its USPs are:

  • Understanding the modern Product Owner role

  • Describing product purpose and development strategy

  • Understanding end-users and/or customers

  • Experimenting with product assumptions

  • Developing and implementing the Product backlog

It is ideal for product managers or stakeholders with basic knowledge of the Agile Scrum Framework. 3. PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP): It is an all-including set of credentials designed for future agile leaders. It trains you to be a high-functioning member of Agile Teams. It also delivers training that will allow you to step up to the Agile Coach role. Overall, it's an ideal certification to improve product versatility and ability to collaborate within cross-functional teams. 4. Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO I): It is one of the three Product Owner certifications provided by Scrum.org. It provides an ideal overview of practical agile functionality. PSPO I is meant for anyone with a fundamental understanding of the practical application of agile concepts in a modern development setting. 5. Certified ScrumMaster (CSM): The CSM certification by Scrum Alliance is a leadership role that provides the knowledge and ability to lead Scrum Teams and implement Scrum Methodologies in a legacy environment. The course progression offers a high-level understanding of Artifacts, Events, and various team roles within  Agile Architecture. 6. Certified SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM): The Certified SAFe® (POMP) are Product Ownership credentials integral to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). SAFe is a combination of tried and tested agile practices that are encapsulated into a single Product Ownership course that applicants can attain. POPM is for anyone looking to better articulate the Product Ownership role, as well as connect the Agile-Lean principles they learn through the course, with the practical PO role.  Why SAFe POPM:

Applicants can attain a combination of tried and tested agile practices that are bundled into a single Product Ownership course. There are no specific prerequisites for this certification. Additionally, certified professionals can single out the most important market demands on the end-user level, and address them via collaboration with operations teams.  SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager delivers the following competencies:

  • Product ownership via SAFe Principles and practical methods

  • Applying the Agile and/or Lean mindset to product development

  • Prioritizing value-driven aspects of development

  • Identifying customer needs

  • Writing epics, capabilities, stories, and features.

About Advance Agility


We, at Advance Agility, are the new-age Agile Coaching, Consulting, and IT services company. We enable end-to-end Digital Transformation. Agile execution is integral to our being. We are doing SAFe implementation with small, medium, and large organizations across the globe.

Our vision is to be the leading Agile execution player globally. To keep adding value at every process stage. We are on a mission to empower our clients and move from concept to cash in the shortest sustainable lead time by adopting the human-centric approach to business agility. Embracing change is in our DNA.

Things that keep us apart are Quicker and Seamless execution with End to end gamut of services. Our Global presence and Stellar Track Record give us an edge over our competitors.

Connect with us at advanceagility.com to learn about SAFe and SAFe Implementation. Write to us at contact@advanceagility.com for any agile training or consulting needs. We are always looking for competent agile trainers as well. So if you are the one or want to become one, do get in touch with us to that we can learn, grow and achieve together.



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