Luminous Systems 101
Foundations of Product Ownership & Agile Systems
This lesson pathway is structured in paired sessions: each primary lesson introduces a core Product Owner competency, and each “.1” lesson is a mastery studio where learners apply those skills to real or simulated products within an Aletheian, design-centered frame.
Lesson → Studio. Strategy → Evidence. Product leadership as a practiced habit of mind.
Jump to a Lesson
Select a core lesson or its mastery studio. Each pair stacks the lesson above its “.1” application lab.
Lesson 1
What Is a Product Owner?
Learners are introduced to the Product Owner as a strategic, human-centered bridge between vision, team, and stakeholders.
Learning Focus
- Define the Product Owner role within agile and enterprise contexts.
- Differentiate the Product Owner from project managers, business analysts, and scrum masters.
- Identify key responsibilities: vision, backlog ownership, stakeholder alignment, and value delivery.
Lesson Flow
- Short narrative overview: the Product Owner as “designer of value” in a digital ecosystem.
- Role comparison activity using real job descriptions (including Disney-style postings).
- Group discussion: “Where does the Product Owner create clarity?”
Core Activities
- Highlight verbs and outcomes in sample job postings to surface expectations.
- Map PO responsibilities to phases of a simple product lifecycle (idea → launch → iteration).
Evidence of Progress
- Short written definition of the Product Owner role in the learner’s own words.
- Simple diagram of how the Product Owner interacts with engineering, design, and business stakeholders.
This lesson grounds learners in the identity and purpose of a Product Owner, framing the role through Luminous Systems and ADTL.
Lesson 1.1
Mastery Studio: My Product Context & Role Map
Learners place themselves inside a specific product context and map how they would operate as a Product Owner within that system.
Mastery Demonstration
- Select a product context (current job, aspiration, or case study such as a streaming app or park experience).
- Identify key stakeholders, teams, and customers for that product.
- Map where and how the Product Owner creates clarity, decisions, and value in that ecosystem.
Critique & Discussion
- Peer review of role maps using prompts: “Where does this PO add the most value?” “Where might they be missing?”
- Discussion of tensions: competing priorities, limited capacity, and ambiguity.
Mastery Indicators
- Clear articulation of how the Product Owner fits into a concrete product scenario.
- Evidence that the learner can anticipate collaboration points and decision moments.
- Ability to explain their PO map using both business and human-centered language.
Mastery is demonstrated through a specific, visual understanding of the PO role within a living system, not as abstract bullet points.
Lesson 2
Agile Fundamentals: Scrum, Kanban & Flow
Learners unpack the agile mindset and the mechanics of Scrum and Kanban, focusing on how Product Owners keep work flowing toward value.
Learning Focus
- Define agile principles and how they differ from traditional project management.
- Describe Scrum roles, events, and artifacts with emphasis on Product Owner responsibilities.
- Compare Scrum and Kanban as different ways of visualizing and managing flow.
Lesson Flow
- Brief story: moving from “big project plans” to iterative value delivery.
- Walkthrough of a sample Scrum board and Kanban board.
- Interactive matching of PO responsibilities to each agile event (sprint planning, review, retro).
Core Activities
- Label an example board with PO touchpoints (what they own, what they influence).
- Identify risks of “absent Product Owner syndrome” in agile teams.
Evidence of Progress
- Short explanation of “why agile” in plain language.
- Completed diagram showing PO responsibilities across Scrum or Kanban flow.
This lesson meets the goal by connecting agile frameworks directly to Product Owner decision-making rather than treating them as abstract processes.
Lesson 2.1
Mastery Studio: Mapping Work to an Agile Board
Learners take a small product scenario and translate it into backlog items, then visualize those on a Scrum or Kanban board.
Mastery Demonstration
- Given a product scenario (e.g., new feature for a streaming app), break work into items/story-level tasks.
- Place these items on an agile board and identify PO decisions at each stage (ready, in progress, review, done).
- Discuss how WIP limits or sprint goals shape which items move first.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers analyze if the board reflects a realistic and sustainable flow of work.
- Group explores scenarios like blocked work, shifting priorities, and stakeholder escalations.
Mastery Indicators
- Board clearly shows a sensible progression of work tied to value.
- Learner can explain how they would respond as PO to changes in scope or priority.
- Use of agile vocabulary is accurate and contextual, not just memorized.
Mastery is shown in the ability to translate real work into agile flow and narrate the PO’s active role in managing that flow.
Lesson 3
Vision & Value: Crafting Product Narratives
Learners explore how a compelling product narrative becomes the north star for backlog, design, and delivery decisions.
Learning Focus
- Define product vision and distinguish it from goals, features, and roadmaps.
- Connect vision statements to user outcomes and business outcomes.
- Use simple narrative frameworks to express “for whom, why now, and to what end.”
Lesson Flow
- Case examples of strong vs. vague product vision statements.
- Breakdown of a vision statement into user, need, and promise of value.
- Guided drafting of a first-pass product vision for a practice product.
Core Activities
- Annotate sample vision statements using ADTL lenses: clarity, culture, and aesthetic language.
- Draft a one-sentence product vision for a chosen domain.
Evidence of Progress
- A draft vision statement that clearly centers users and outcomes.
- Ability to explain how that vision anchors prioritization decisions.
This lesson meets the goal by giving learners a concrete narrative tool they will reuse in roadmapping, stakeholder comms, and design reviews.
Lesson 3.1
Mastery Studio: Drafting & Stress-Testing Vision
Learners iterate on drafted vision statements, test them against edge cases, and refine based on feedback and Aletheian design cues.
Mastery Demonstration
- Present a product vision statement for a chosen product context.
- Explain how it connects users, business goals, and broader system impact.
- Respond to stakeholder-style questions (e.g., “What happens if our target market shifts?”).
Critique & Discussion
- Peers review vision statements using lenses: clarity, focus, inspiration, and feasibility.
- Groups propose small tweaks to strengthen alignment with strategy and user reality.
Mastery Indicators
- Vision is concise, user-centered, and strategically anchored.
- Learner can defend and refine their vision in response to diverse perspectives.
- Language shows awareness of culture, inclusion, and long-term impact.
Mastery is shown in the ability to hold a vision steady while flexing its language and emphasis for different audiences and constraints.
Lesson 4
Users, Stakeholders & Systems Mapping
Learners identify users, stakeholders, and key systems, then visualize how their product fits into a broader environment.
Learning Focus
- Differentiate end-users, internal stakeholders, partners, and regulators.
- Recognize competing needs and expectations across the ecosystem.
- Use simple mapping tools (stakeholder maps, system diagrams) to visualize complexity.
Lesson Flow
- Short case walkthrough of a product with multiple stakeholder groups.
- Demonstration of a basic stakeholder map and system boundary diagram.
- Small-group mapping of a chosen product scenario.
Core Activities
- List and categorize stakeholders by influence and impact.
- Draw a simple ecosystem map showing data, decision, and value flows.
Evidence of Progress
- Completed ecosystem map for a chosen product.
- Written reflection on at least one tension or trade-off in the system.
This lesson meets the goal by helping learners see products as living within systems, not isolated apps or features.
Lesson 4.1
Mastery Studio: Stakeholder & Ecosystem Review
Learners present ecosystem maps, then refine them based on critique, focusing on risks, dependencies, and missed voices.
Mastery Demonstration
- Present a stakeholder and system map for a chosen product.
- Explain where the Product Owner interfaces with each group or system.
- Identify high-risk dependencies or overlooked user groups.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers identify missing voices or over-simplified relationships.
- Group proposes adjustments that increase clarity and inclusivity.
Mastery Indicators
- Map reflects a nuanced, multi-perspective understanding of the product ecosystem.
- Learner can explain how system complexity will influence product decisions.
- Revisions show deeper attention to equity, access, and long-term impact.
Mastery is demonstrated through the ability to see and communicate complexity, not just list stakeholders.
Lesson 5
Backlog Basics & Writing User Stories
Learners explore how to translate vision and user needs into well-formed backlog items, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
Learning Focus
- Define product backlog, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
- Use common formats (e.g., “As a… I want… so that…”) while keeping language grounded in real users.
- Recognize qualities of good stories (clear, testable, valuable, small).
Lesson Flow
- Examples of weak vs. strong user stories.
- Mini-lecture on INVEST criteria and ADTL-informed language choices.
- Guided practice writing stories from a product scenario.
Core Activities
- Revise weak stories to be clearer, more user-centered, and testable.
- Draft acceptance criteria that capture what “done” looks like from the user’s perspective.
Evidence of Progress
- Set of 3–5 user stories and acceptance criteria for a specific product feature.
- Brief explanation of how each story ties back to the product vision.
This lesson meets the goal by linking story writing directly to vision, users, and measurable value.
Lesson 5.1
Mastery Studio: User Story Critique & Refinement
Learners bring draft stories, subject them to a structured critique, and refine them to better express value and clarity.
Mastery Demonstration
- Share a mini set of user stories and acceptance criteria.
- Explain how these stories connect to user needs and system constraints.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers apply INVEST and ADTL-informed lenses (clarity, empathy, aesthetics of language).
- Group identifies where stories are too big, too vague, or misaligned with vision.
Mastery Indicators
- Revised stories are clear, testable, and meaningfully tied to user value.
- Learner can articulate why revisions improve delivery and stakeholder understanding.
Mastery is evidenced through the ability to turn ambiguous ideas into crisp, shareable, testable stories that honor both users and teams.
Lesson 6
Prioritization & Roadmapping Fundamentals
Learners explore basic prioritization frameworks and how to translate them into a visual roadmap anchored in vision and value.
Learning Focus
- Describe why not all work can be done “now” and how prioritization protects value.
- Apply simple prioritization lenses (e.g., impact vs. effort, risk vs. reward).
- Draft a high-level roadmap slice aligned to product vision and constraints.
Lesson Flow
- Story: conflicting requests from stakeholders and the PO stuck in the middle.
- Overview of common prioritization models (MoSCoW, value/effort grid, etc.).
- Guided practice ranking backlog items using a chosen model.
Core Activities
- Sort a set of backlog items into priority tiers with brief justifications.
- Sketch a one-page roadmap showing near, mid, and far-term focus.
Evidence of Progress
- Prioritized backlog list with clear reasoning.
- Simple roadmap that stakeholders could read and understand at a glance.
This lesson meets the goal by tying prioritization to communication, not just internal scoring exercises.
Lesson 6.1
Mastery Studio: Mini Roadmap & Release Slice
Learners synthesize LS 101 by presenting a small roadmap and explaining their prioritization choices to a mock stakeholder group.
Mastery Demonstration
- Present a mini roadmap slice (e.g., next 2–3 sprints or a quarter) for their chosen product context.
- Explain how vision, user needs, system constraints, and value influenced their decisions.
- Respond to stakeholder-style questions challenging scope, timing, or focus.
Critique & Discussion
- Peers give feedback on clarity, realism, and narrative coherence of the roadmap.
- Group explores how to adapt roadmap communication for different audiences (exec, team, partners).
Mastery Indicators
- Roadmap is coherent, prioritized, and clearly tied to product vision and backlog.
- Learner can articulate trade-offs they accepted or rejected.
- Communication is calm, clear, and grounded in both data and human impact (Aletheian clarity).
Final mastery in LS 101 is shown through the ability to think, speak, and design like a Product Owner at a foundational level—anchoring future LS 201+ work.