So now you are a Product Owner

From Engineer to Product Owner: A Journey of Evolution

They say the best roles find you when you're not looking for them. My journey to becoming a Product Owner is living proof of that.

Looking forward to sharing my story and hearing yours :-)

I started my career as a hardware engineer in 1986, soldering circuits and designing microprocessor based control systems using the intel 8051 microcontroller ... I lived in the physical world where you could touch and see what you were building.

Then I transitioned to software engineering, where I traded physical components for lines of code - building the invisible architecture that powers our digital lives.

Later, I evolved into a Test Automation Engineer, ensuring quality and reliability in the products we created. Each role taught me something valuable about the engineering process, adding another layer to my technical foundation.

Then came that pivotal moment. I was working with a Software Architect, building stories for a new project, when she turned to me and said, "You'd make a good Product Owner."

"What's that?" I asked, with genuine curiosity - Not really - I just added that for fun :-)

The room erupted in laughter.

Little did I know that this unexpected suggestion would lead me to one of the most fulfilling roles of my career - where my technical background would become my superpower in bridging the gap between engineering and business needs.

Today, I'd like to share with you what I've learned about being a Technical Product Owner, how my engineering background gives me a unique perspective, and why this role is crucial in creating products that truly deliver value.

Looking forward to sharing my story and hearing yours

Peace &Love Chris

-- Chris Macgowan (he/him/his) Staff Scientist gstream inc. 612.401.2342 Listening on 146.520 MHz

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