Product Owner Skills Interview
Author:
Alycia Damp, PhD IRHRA Product Owner interview assessing key skills required for success. We've also included a few motivation and values questions to help you make the best decisions about your candidates.
Focus area:
Question
1
Why are you interested in making a career move to our company as Product Owner? How do you see this opportunity within the context of your career?
What does this question reveal?
Fit and motivation to join the company
Explore tips
- Is seeking an opportunity to grow by applying and developing multiple skills
- Wants to make a defined impact on others and the organization’s success
- Is motivated to add value to the company's culture and work environment
- Is passionate when discussing how this connects with their strengths/interests
Question
2
Our company uses an agile methodology in [insert function]. Based on your experience, what are some of the pros and cons of agile versus traditional methods? How have you overcome challenges with agile methods in the past?
What does this question reveal?
Simultaneously apply testing and development activities to deliver product improvements
Explore tips
- Explains how testing and development is done simultaneously in agile teams
- Explains how features are released much more frequently in agile environments
- Notes pros (e.g. flexible, speedy, customer-driven design & development)
- Notes cons (e.g. hard with large features, little documentation, less design)
Question
3
How is user storytelling is important in an agile context?
What does this question reveal?
Apply storytelling in the agile context
Explore tips
- Explains why it is effective (engages emotions, is easier to understand, etc.)
- Notes that it results in a higher likelihood of buy-in from stakeholders
- Notes how it helps developers understand why the product needs to be built
Question
4
Tell me about a time you analyzed industry and market trends or conducted market research to help your product remain competitive.
What does this question reveal?
Analyze industry and market data to drive innovation and competition in products
Explore tips
- Describes the situation and identifies industry and market trends
- Explains how the data was analyzed and applied to improve the product
- Describes how the data improved the sales/revenue/usage of the product
- Shares quantitative metrics to communicate the product's success
Question
5
Describe a past experience of solving a UX workflow problem.
What does this question reveal?
Be user-focused when problem-solving
Explore tips
- Demonstrates a creative approach to problem-solving and design thinking
- Discusses prioritizing user concerns, wants, needs and expectations
- Exhibits UX knowledge (user flows, prototypes, wireframes, testing, etc.)
- Understands that different UX contexts require different UX design approaches
Question
6
Tell me about a time you had to redesign a product/feature. What steps did you take and was the redesign successful?
What does this question reveal?
Execute product development tasks effectively
Explore tips
- Shows they can identify and understand how to improve a product
- Consults key stakeholders (customers, engineers, designers) to execute redesign
- Suggests testing different solutions before building them
- Shares evidence (e.g. metrics) to justify success of the redesign
Question
7
Imagine you're asked to analyze user data to inform the next steps in development. How would you go about analyzing the data and making development decisions?
What does this question reveal?
Apply user findings to drive development initiatives for product success
Explore tips
- Explains how they incorporate insights into product-related decisions
- Discusses incorporating trend research to improve user experience and design
- Gathers data from various reliable user sources (e.g., feedback, user research)
- Reassesses existing priorities by incorporating user feedback/suggestions
Question
8
As Product Owner, describe how you would work with the scrum master and developers on your scrum team. What do you anticipate as the main challenges, and how would you overcome them?
What does this question reveal?
Work collaboratively on a scrum team
Explore tips
- Notes the importance of a cohesive unit aligned and focused on the product goal
- Exhibits an ability to communicate effectively to enhance collaboration
- Explicitly recognizes and promotes company values within the team
- Refrains from employing hierarchies or sub-teams within the team
Question
9
Tell me about how you have worked with cross-functional teams in the past to successfully bring a product idea to life. How did you collaborate with teams, and why was it successful?
What does this question reveal?
Work effectively with key product teams (design, engineering)
Explore tips
- Emphasizes the importance of synergy between key teams (design & engineering)
- Proactively holds roadmap sessions to align stakeholders and track progress
- Actively listens to others to solicit and incorporate ideas/feedback
- Communicates the business case for the idea to reinforce alignment in thinking
Question
10
Imagine we want to understand more about how customers perceive [insert element of product/service]. Outline your process for a customer validation call.
What does this question reveal?
Engage and communicate with customers to obtain feedback
Explore tips
- Discusses identifying the target customer and the call objectives
- Discusses preparing scenario-specific questions for the user
- Discusses engaging with the user to obtain answers to questions
- Discusses observing the customer's reactions and body language during the call
Question
11
Steve Jobs famously said, "Customers don't really know what they want until you show them." What is your opinion on that statement?
What does this question reveal?
Show personal experience/insights from working with clients
Explore tips
- Agrees or disagrees, but thoughtfully considers the customer in their response
- Recognizes the importance of engaging with customers to assess what they want
- Believes effort should be made to identify the customer's underlying problem
Question
12
Imagine you are the product owner at a backlog refinement meeting. How would you determine if a backlog item needs refinement?
What does this question reveal?
Determine if backlog needs refinement
Explore tips
- Lists specific factors that help determine whether backlog items need refinement
- Would consider if there are urgent or important items at the end of the list
- Would check for items without an estimate or with an outdated estimate
- Would review user journeys to ensure they are still valid
Question
13
Tell me about a time you had to make a tough prioritization decision when working on a product backlog/roadmap. What did you end up prioritizing, and why?
What does this question reveal?
Analyze competing items to make well-informed decisions
Explore tips
- Explains the overall goal and describes the competing priorities
- Shows they can use logical frameworks to assess scenarios (impact, cost, etc.)
- Discusses user versus business needs, needs overlap, and limitations
- Shows they know the importance of managing expectations at all levels and stages
Question
14
Based on your past work history and professional experience, in what type of work environment were the happiest and most productive.
What does this question reveal?
Preferences for organizational culture and workstyle
Explore tips
- Discusses attributes that align with your organization
- References different organizational factors (people, place, work, etc.)
- Highlights the values that shaped the environment/culture
- Shares a story from past experience to support their claims
Question
15
What is one thing you wish I had asked you in our conversation today?
What does this question reveal?
Self-awareness of unique strengths and value-add
Explore tips
- Gives a response that is relevant to the role in question
- Justifies their suggestion by explaining their value-add
- Exhibits strengths that were not previously covered
