A project manager is collaborating with the product owner and customer stakeholders to prioritize the product backlog and plan delivery dates. Customers want several deliverables marked high priority, while the project manager has technical tasks that should also be high priority. What should the project manager do?

The project manager should lead the team to identify product objectives for each delivery iteration and clarify priorities. This approach ensures that the team understands the "why" behind each deliverable, allowing for a collaborative prioritization that balances customer needs with technical necessities. By focusing on objectives, the team can make informed decisions about what truly adds value and how to sequence work effectively. Allowing customer stakeholders to solely define priorities and delivery dates might lead to an unrealistic plan that overlooks technical dependencies and team capacity. Working with the team to estimate tasks and create a roadmap is a good step, but without clarifying objectives first, the estimates might not align with the most critical business value. Creating a sprint board is a tool for visibility, not a method for resolving prioritization conflicts.