I’ve experienced a wide range of Product Owners who’ve graced the presence of my Scrum projects.

Some were engaging and always ready to answer questions at a moment’s notice, and others were, shall we say, not.

I’ve recently conceded that more often than not my Product Owner is MIA.

So instead ousting the Product Owner entirely, how should we address this dilemma?

I’m of the mind set that Product Owner by committee and the dreaded ScrumMaster/Product Owner combo solutions are not effective. Too many times I’ve watched the team become more and more reactive, while losing focus on what is important.

The Product Owner is there for a reason right?

We need to set expectations early, and to do so I propose the following suggestions:

Educate your Product Owner BEFORE Iteration Zero – This may seem obvious but often the Product Owner candidate does not understand his role or responsibilities. Sign them up for a Certified Product Owner course, as they are relatively cheap and only two day sessions. Point them to Product Owner websites and books. Sit down and speak to them before it is too late! If you find that explaining the Product Owner role to them is much like explaining Heaven to Bears, then you have a problem. It is better to address it early.

Establish Product Owner Availability – It is all well and good if the Product Owner understands his role, but he needs to be available to answer important questions. I’ve spoken to ScrumMasters who mandate 10min turnarounds on any question regarding the project. That may seem extreme, but it is effective. Product Owners are busy people, however that does not exclude them from being the “Single Wringable Neck”. If 10min response times are unreasonable, make them an hour, or two hours. At the very least designate Product Owner Office Hours so you can swing by during convenient times throughout the work day.

Product Owner by Proxy – If all else fails, try to find a resource who can play Product Owner by proxy. Some of the higher level people in an organization tend to over commit and leave you hanging. Have them designate a proxy who can devote the time needed to the project. As long as this resource is given at least some authority to make decisions, it is better than nothing!

What other tactics would you suggest to prevent a Product Owner from going MIA?