Product driven vs customer driven development?

Generally, the issue is one of "expert judgement.

Generally, the issue is one of "expert judgement" A product owner can be a technical expert as well as a product expert who knows what customers need. If you only have what a customer says (not what they really need,) you can lose that important bit of judgement. Customers may have little or no technical expertise.

They may ask for things which seem interesting but have huge technical risks, huge cost and little practical value. But, since "the customer's always right", stupid things get built for stupid reasons. Or -- worse -- someone attempts to build a stupid thing and fails, so the project is cancelled.

A product owner can temper the customer's opinions with more rational decision-making and create a product which will meet the customers true need and bypass the customer's whims. Ultimately, all development is for a customer. Period.

However, the question is wether the developers interact directly with customers or via a product owner.

I think it all depends on the level of interaction with the decision makers and not who the decision makers are. Product driven teams still have a decision maker, its just not the customer. If you want my opinion of the best development team structure, look at SCRUM.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.