Product Owner vs Scrum Master

The Product Owner (PO) is a key role in Scrum, responsible for maximizing the value of the product and the work of the Scrum Team.

The PO's artifact is the Product Backlog, which is a prioritized list of work to be done on the product.

The Product Owner is responsible for communicating the vision and objectives of the product to the team and stakeholders.

They are responsible for refining the Product Backlog, ensuring that the top-layer items are clear and known so that Sprint Planning can be conducted effectively.

Defines the Product Goal, which is the purpose of the product.

Has the exclusive authority to prioritize items in the Product Backlog based on the value they will deliver, according to the criteria deemed appropriate.

The Scrum Master is one of the three key roles in the Scrum framework, responsible for establishing Scrum and ensuring that the team and organization understand its theory and adhere to its practices.

The Scrum Master aids the team in continuous improvement by facilitating the removal of impediments and creating space for the team to self-manage and be cross-functional.

Helps the team understand and use metrics to observe progress and identify areas for improvement.