We hire product owners with IT backgrounds that serve as a proxy for the business they will be developing products for. How will you ensure that you have the knowledge needed to develop an effective product backlog?

Remember to include a mix of strategies within your response. Also, discuss strategies that make sense for the users or customers of the company you are interviewing with. For example, a company that develops gaming apps would not expect a product owner to gain expertise by shadowing end users in an office setting.

"In my early career as an engineer, I frequently requested to attend client meetings alongside our analysts and project managers. I asked questions and helped to refine the requirements that were gathered. Additionally, I shadowed end users and worked to understand their workflows and pain points. All of those activities helped me to understand their perspective and improved my work as an engineer.

As a product owner, I follow a similar approach. I learn about their business from the ground up by asking questions, reviewing workflows, shadowing, and using their current systems. I establish strong relationships with senior stakeholders and end users where appropriate and use the information I gather and my technical expertise to formulate effective backlogs."