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Vince
ServiceNow Employee
ServiceNow Employee

After more than 30 ServiceNow implementations — some lasting just a few weeks, others stretching beyond a year — one truth has become increasingly clear to me:

The success of a ServiceNow project rarely comes down to technical people, project managers, or even the platform itself. It comes down to the Product Owner.

That might sound controversial. After all, ServiceNow implementations are technical by nature. But here’s the thing — while the technical side is often straightforward, the real complexity lies in understanding and aligning business needs.

You can have the most capable development team in the world, but without someone ensuring the work delivers genuine value to the business, you’re simply building features — not solutions. And that’s where the Product Owner (PO) comes in: the conduit between the business and the implementation team.



Every Implementation Is Unique

If you’ve worked across a few ServiceNow projects, you already know: no two are the same.
Even with similar modules, timelines, or implementation partners, every project has its own mix of people, culture, and priorities.

One organisation might be laser-focused on automating manual processes, while another is trying to improve employee experience or compliance visibility.

The technology itself is powerful — and in many ways, predictable. The real challenge lies in understanding how each organisation wants to realise value from ServiceNow. That vision lives or dies with the Product Owner.

A good PO brings context. They know what the business truly values, which problems actually need solving, and how success will be measured. Without that clarity, technical consultants are left guessing, and projects risk becoming “technically correct” but functionally irrelevant.



The Product Owner: The Conduit Between Worlds

The Product Owner’s role is simple — they represent the business, but also need to speak the language of delivery.

In practice, that means:
• Translating business requirements into actionable stories and priorities.
• Being available and decisive when the team needs direction.
• Keeping stakeholders aligned, informed, and realistic.
• Ensuring every sprint delivers something meaningful to the business.

In other words, they are the single point where strategy meets execution.

I’ve seen this role done brilliantly — and I’ve seen it misunderstood. The best Product Owners are curious, decisive, and deeply engaged. They know when to challenge scope, when to simplify, and when to push for clarity. They don’t just attend sprint reviews: they drive the conversation about why each deliverable matters.



When the Role Is Weak or Missing

On the other hand, when the Product Owner isn’t empowered, engaged, or available, things unravel fast.
Requirements drift. Priorities shift weekly. Technical Consultants build what they think is needed, not what’s actually needed.

By the time we test functionalities , nobody’s sure if what’s been delivered still matches the business’ intent.

In these cases, teams often blame “technical issues” or “communication issues”, but the real problem is usually upstream — a lack of strong, consistent ownership from the business side. Without that conduit, the project becomes a series of disconnected technical tasks instead of a unified transformation effort.



Looking Ahead

It might sound like heresy to some — saying the most important role in a ServiceNow implementation isn’t technical at all. But after 30+ implementations, across industries and timelines, I’m convinced of it.

In upcoming posts, I’ll explore what makes a great Product Owner — the traits that consistently separate successful implementations from struggling ones, and practical ways to empower this role to deliver maximum impact. I’ll also share what we, as Engagement Managers at ServiceNow, can do to help make you a successful Product Owner.

Because if there’s one thing every implementation needs, it’s not just great technology — it’s great ownership.

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