Final answer:
The Product Owner in Scrum is primarily responsible for defining and prioritizing the Product Backlog items and engaging with stakeholders to understand their needs and represent their interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of a Product Owner in Scrum includes a variety of responsibilities, but two key activities are particularly essential. Firstly, the Product Owner is responsible for defining and prioritizing the Product Backlog items. This means creating user stories or requirements that explain the functionality to be developed, and ordering them based on their value to the business or customer, ensuring the most important tasks are worked on first.
Secondly, the Product Owner must engage with stakeholders to understand their needs and represent their interests to the team. This involves regularly communicating with both the Scrum Team and the stakeholders to ensure that the product being developed aligns with the business goals and user requirements. These activities are crucial because they directly influence the direction and success of the product development process.