Comments on: Any Questions for the Cranky Product Manager?

By: Surly PM

Surly PM — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:57:20 +0000

I would love to get the CPM’s opinion about the many joys of working for a public company.

By: Scott "fist full of features" Sehlhorst

Scott "fist full of features" Sehlhorst — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:02:56 +0000

Following up your agile/not survey…

Would love to hear your “as I get immersed” perspectives on agile, from a product management slant. I’m continually trying to get better at explaining the benefits and challenges of agile to people with varying degrees of exposure to the approach. Might help us all to see how your views evolve – which questions come up first, how do the answers to those lead to other questions, etc.

Still loving the crankiness! And congrats on alltop :)

By: On Client Advisory Groups | The Cranky Product Manager

On Client Advisory Groups | The Cranky Product Manager — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:05:27 +0000

[...] Two questions from readers triggered this miraculous post: “What is your opinion of the effectiveness of Client Advisory Groups, and do you think that PMs (cranky or not) should organize and facilitate them?” “Follow up to the Client Advisory Groups, assuming you have an existing CAG how do extract useful feedback and integrate it with the development process? A ‘rate this feature’ tool? Something all together better?” [...]

By: denkai

denkai — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:56:09 +0000

*Conspiracy theories*

Sometime ago you blogged about slowing down your posts based on personal life, work pressures and so on and asked PM’ers out there would to contribute to your blog.

Today I see a “branded” blog with its own “crankypm.com” domain, adverts and more PM related content. Are you planning on a new venture and more importantly, are you still the only “poster” on the crankyPM blog?

By: carolinebender

carolinebender — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:27:33 +0000

I am looking for a good model of a business case for a new/modified product, specifically to solve a business need for the customer or the unit that supports them.

My company doesn’t use them. They just build things anecdotally. And I am afraid that a few more years of this, and I will not be able to smile at the interviewer when I say “I’ve never seen one.” Perhaps one of the PM texts has something to offer?

Or perhaps you can confess that no one does use them and I am worrying about nothing.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 02:42:50 +0000

Follow up to the Client Advisory Groups, assuming you have an existing CAG how do extract useful feedback and integrate it with the development process? A ‘rate this feature’ tool? Something all together better?

By: NewbiePM

NewbiePM — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:17:55 +0000

Cranky PM,

What would you recommend as an effective learning aide for becoming a better PM? Other than a wielding chainsaw and a shotgun? Obviously experience is the best way to learn, but some reading material or other form of guide would be useful. Even the best can find ways to improve.

Thank you

By: GTA

GTA — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:32:12 +0000

While we are a hardware company, our crown jewel is our SW. Just a preamble…
How does the Cranky PM handle people who out of one side of their mouth claim that PM is essential to the organization, but out of the other side of their treasonous mouths do everything they can to undermine effective product management? I have been at this for > 12 years now, 5 years at this company, and I am getting really tired of being the guy that just does the S#1T work, and gets beat on by the other group leaders.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:54:58 +0000

I have been doing product management for about 9 years now, and have recently moved from a more tactical role to a more strategic role. I am running into challenges of working with a small sales team, who have many years of experience in a very specialized industry, that do not seem to want to let go of complete control over the client base. I basically need to get “permission” to contact clients and they (well most of them) want to be involved to the nth degree. I feel that I can not truly have the type of conversation I need to with the client when I have “big brother” looking over my shoulder. Any thoughts or suggestions here?

By: JSE

JSE — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:51:02 +0000

What is the most successful way of reducing the size of discounts applied by Sales to software products aside from implementing approval processes etc? Are their any industry trends/analysis on software sales & discounts? What are is the best approach to help Sales/Account Managers hold the List Price?