Why is it important to have only one Product Owner per product in Scrum?

Having only one Product Owner per product is important primarily because it ensures consistent decision-making. When a single individual holds the role of Product Owner, they are responsible for defining the product vision, managing the product backlog, and making key decisions about features, priorities, and trade-offs. This singular accountability helps maintain a clear and unified direction for the product, which is crucial for aligning the development team and stakeholders towards common goals.

Consistency in decision-making also minimizes confusion and conflicting priorities, which can arise if there were multiple individuals acting as Product Owners. This clear leadership fosters trust among the team members and stakeholders, as they know who to turn to for final decisions and clarifications related to the product.

While managing multiple stakeholder interests, simplifying backlog organization, and supporting collaboration among team members are also significant aspects of the Product Owner role, they are secondary benefits resulting from having a single Product Owner. The central focus on consistent decision-making is what fundamentally supports an effective Scrum process.