Product Owner
Also known as: Digital Product Owner · Product Manager Software
Decides what a development team takes on first, translates needs into workable items and accounts for the value of the result.
The product owner owns the content of the work and decides on priority between the wishes of users, clients and operations. Unlike the business analyst, this role does not stop at describing the need, because it makes the call and carries the consequences. Selection puts too much weight on domain knowledge, while the failure point is nearly always decisiveness: someone unable to explain why something is not being built now ends up with a backlog that only grows and a team that waits for everything.
Competencies to measure
These are the behavioural and ability constructs in this profile. Each one shows which hrmforce questionnaire measures it.
| Competencies to measure | Target level | hrmforce instrument | Assessment method | Behavioural anchor at target level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract and figural reasoning | N4 | Ability Scan | Cognitive ability test | Discovers the underlying rule in unfamiliar material with several changing features and uses it to explain deviations. |
| Accuracy and attention to detail Competency (50-framework): Accuracy | N4 | Big Fifty, 360 Feedback | Personality questionnaire | Builds check moments into the own process, keeps track of errors and prevents repetition by adjusting the method. |
| Working independently Competency (50-framework): Independence | N3 | Big Fifty, 15PF, Competency Check | Personality questionnaire | Determines own approach for a full work package, consults colleagues purposefully when unclear and delivers on time without reminders. |
Short profile
The ten heaviest skills in this profile. The full profile with every skill, behavioural anchor and assessment method is in the download.
| T | Skill | Target level | Weight | Knockout | Assessment method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Problem analysis | N4 | 5 | yes | Assessment centre |
| V | Stakeholder management | N4 | 5 | no | Assessment centre |
| V | Portfolio and priority management | N4 | 5 | no | Situational Judgement Test |
| V | Defining and managing requirements | N4 | 5 | yes | Work sample test |
| A | Abstract and figural reasoning | N4 | 4 | no | Cognitive ability test |
| V | Modelling and abstraction | N4 | 4 | no | Work sample test |
| V | Prioritising and weighing options | N4 | 4 | no | Work sample test |
| G | Accuracy and attention to detail | N4 | 4 | no | Personality questionnaire |
| V | Software testing and quality assurance | N4 | 4 | no | Work sample test |
| V | API integration | N4 | 4 | no | Work sample test |
See all 26 skills in the full profile
Assessment instruments for this job
Work sample test
Representative work sample under standardized conditions
Competency Check
Behavioral-Level Competency Assessment
Knowledge test (client-specific)
Professional knowledge test, customized for each client
Portfolio
Evaluation of prior work against fixed criteria
360 Feedback
Multiple assessments based on behavioral anchors
Big Fifty
Personality questionnaire, 150 items, 25 factors
Ability Scan
Aptitude Test: Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract Reasoning Skills
Structured interview
Behavioral interview with a fixed structure
15PF
Personality Profile, a shorter alternative to the Big Fifty
Communication Styles
Preferred communication style
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