A Product Owner approached me with a pressing issue from users complaining about some functionalities within the product. As an UX designer, of course I was keen to understand the problem’s origin. The PO had received complaints from clients via Account Managers and had taken the initiative to delve into the matter. He shared his conclusion with me, suggesting we could proceed based on it. However, I couldn’t help but inquire further. Who were these clients, and what were their specific needs? I began probing with the ‘5 whys’ to uncover the true essence of the problem and its root causes. Despite the initial investigation, many questions remained unanswered, prompting me to reach out to the clients directly. It was evident that also understanding the personas affected by this issue was critical.

This scenario is just one illustration of the complexities that can arise when Product Owners and UX Designers collaborate during the product development process. Frequently, these two roles find themselves at odds over their respective responsibilities. Since both are deeply involved in shaping the user experience, their roles often overlap, leading to confusion and ambiguity regarding who should handle what and the consensus is often that everyone is responsible for “the user”. This overlap can be a potential pitfall, risking reduced productivity, compromised quality, and heightened tension within the team.

What is this risky area of overlap?

Product owners share the product vision with UX specialists to ensure that the design meets the product goals. Also they collect and analyze information about user needs and use this to get from ideas and iteration to product creation. The fact is you need each other and both roles are deeply involved with customers and users. Defining use cases, identifying user needs, interviewing users, mapping out flows, validating feature decisions and even creating low-fi mockups are the areas were the confusion and tensions emerges.

The effectiveness of collaboration between Product Owners and UX Designers also hinges on how teams are structured and the processes they follow. Of particular importance I want to point out is the ‘way of working’ which is often an informal practice and a critical factor that can either facilitate or hinder the synergy between these two roles. When the ‘way of working’ is solely shaped by historical practices and lacks formal documentation, relying solely on the oversight of stakeholders, it can become a stumbling block for organizations. This is especially problematic when responsibilities remain ambiguously assigned, and the organizational structure does not align with a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of both Product Owners and UX Designers. In such cases, common challenges, tensions and frustration can emerge, posing a risk to the overall productivity.

From insights to solutions

It’s worth noting that while I won’t delve into enumerating all possible problematic scenarios or detailing the frustrations and misunderstandings that may ensue, these challenges are not unique and can manifest differently depending on each organization’s specific circumstances. Nevertheless, recognizing these issues becomes crucial, especially when an organization fails to adhere to fundamental principles for managing the collaboration and addressing tensions between Product Owners and UX Designers. 

An essential aspect of the UX designer’s role is taking responsibility for the implementation of their designs, managing the design process, and ensuring the quality of the output. This involves attentively considering feedback from developers, reevaluating design choices when necessary, and dedicating time to assess and resolve potential issues. This process is crucial but can be undervalued in the product development journey. For instance, when a Product Owner’s objectives differ from those of the UX designer, they may make decisions to safeguard sprint deadlines or favor the developer team’s efficiency, without consulting the UX designer first.

In response to recurring problematic situations in certain projects, I embarked on a journey to enhance the effectiveness of my collaboration with Product Owners. My quest led me to a valuable resource: two very comprehensive studies conducted by the Nielsen Norman Group. Drawing from years of experience and numerous cases, their research sheds light on the very challenges we encounter in our collaboration. If you’re keen to address these issues and foster more effective teamwork, I highly recommend diving into their studies and even when you are not facing challenges with the subject they are a goldmine of insights to be explored. Both links to the researches are below the article.

The first research discusses the findings of a survey conducted to understand how user experience professionals (UX) and product managers (PM) perceive their roles and their relationship. The survey aimed to address questions about potential overstepping by other roles, role overlaps, reasons for duplicative work, the effects of work overlap, and perceptions of responsibility for various activities and deliverables. 

The second research from the Nielsen Norman Group is about the the recurring challenge of unclear responsibilities between Product Owners and User Experience roles. The lack of well-defined boundaries has led to misunderstandings and complaints from both UX professionals and Product Owners. To address this issue, the author conducted a survey to explore the differing expectations of POs and UXers regarding their responsibilities, revealing significant disagreements in their perceptions of who should handle various common activities.

How to deal with the overlap?

It’s not hard at all to resolve the overlap between product owners and UX design roles. Just acknowledge the problem in your team and follow a couple of principles. From the Nielsen Norman Group research I can give you a summary of the useful steps to improve collaboration or just read the entire research and benefit from it to avoid frustrations.

1. Clear Responsibility Assignment in Early Phases:

• During the initial project phases, PM and UX should collaborate closely to establish clear responsibilities for research, ideation, early sketching, and design workflows.
• Specify who will be responsible for each aspect, ensuring that both parties are aligned on these critical tasks.

2. Ongoing Task Definitions:

• Throughout the project, make a concerted effort to assert and communicate the specific tasks that each individual should focus on.
• Ensure that everyone involved in the project understands these roles and responsibilities, not just PM and UX.

3. Enhance Collaboration and Eliminate Overload:

• Promote clear definitions of responsibilities within the product team. This clarity reduces the sense that “I have to do everything” and minimizes overlap.
• Facilitate collaboration between different functional groups by fostering a shared understanding of roles, resulting in more gratifying work, increased productivity, and improved outcomes.

In essence, recognizing and respecting the distinct yet interdependent roles of Product Owners and UX Designers is paramount. Be proactive and understand the value that each role brings to the table and fostering collaboration that aligns with these core responsibilities, organizations can harness the full potential of their product development efforts.