Articulating Product Owner Competencies Using an Agile Experiential Learning Simulation

In this exploratory research study, we report on students’ understanding of product owner competency requirements as a result of completing a computer-based agile experiential learning simulation. Ninety-nine students enrolled in two sections of a graduate class on agile project management assumed the role of a product owner in the simulation to lead a development team through the planning, execution, and delivery of a software product. After completing the simulation, students identified and ranked the MSIS 2016 competency categories required to be successful product owners. Students identified competency categories of IS management, systems development, and innovation and entrepreneurship as the most important for a product owner to be successful. The results provide evidence for the broad, diverse competency requirements of successful product owners and preliminary support for the effectiveness of using computer-based experiential learning to help students understand and learn a complex subject area.