Who is responsible for defining and prioritizing the work that the developers will perform?

The Product Owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the work that the developers will perform in an Agile development environment. This role serves as the liaison between the stakeholders and the development team, ensuring that the work being done aligns with the overall goals and vision of the project.

The Product Owner creates and maintains the product backlog, which is essentially a prioritized list of work for the development team. They communicate requirements, ensure that features are clearly defined, and make decisions about what to build next based on stakeholder input, market changes, and overall project strategy. This prioritization is critical, as it helps the development team understand the most valuable tasks to focus on, thereby maximizing the impact of their work.

While other roles, such as the Appian Analyst or Team Lead, may contribute to understanding requirements or facilitating the development process, it is the Product Owner's specific job to prioritize and make clear what needs to be accomplished, ensuring that the team is always working on the most important objectives.