The Cranky Product Manager has a Christmas present for you.
No, it’s not something from her recommended “Wicked Awesome Presents for Product Managers” list, alas. (Buy your favorite PM a present now! Last day for shipping).
Nay, it’s a fantastic board game – a classic, with a new twist. It will give you hours of fun throughout the year, and, in fact, throughout your LIFE, as a product manager. Hang it on your cubicle wall. It’ll come in handy.
It’s “No, Developer, Don’t Say That” BINGO!
Whenever you hear a Developer trotting out one of these oft-recited but dreaded phrases, tick off the appropriate box. Once you tick five boxes in a row/column/diagonal you have BINGO! Scream out BINGO as loud as you can. Maybe someone will come give you a prize…
…or at least a hug, some Kleenex, and a Prozac perscription. Hearing those developers talk like this all day can force even the most upbeat Produt Manager into a bottomless depression.
|
B |
I |
N |
G |
O |
|
Trivial |
While I was in the code I added… |
Schedule slip |
Refactor |
User is wrong/ stupid/ lying |
|
No time to test |
Rearchitect |
Not enough resources |
Need to use language X (that is used no where else in company) |
Not enough time |
|
Not in the spec |
Works on my machine |
FREE |
“Something’s wrong if it takes X more than 2 days to code this” |
Non-Trivial |
|
Customer escalation |
Irreproducible |
Broken build |
Fundamental design flaw |
Defer to next release |
|
Regression |
Technically Impossible |
Unsupported |
Scope creep |
My code is self-documenting |
Thanks to the Twitter followers @dan2bit, @nolanzak, @jen_monkey, @tojarrett, @lorifraleigh, @ec1964, @ryanshuya, @mlortz, @tsahil, @Hagoleshet, @cmclellan, and @scottcote for helping create this.
And check out the related “Things to Say When You’re Losing a Technical Argument” list - an oldie but a goodie.
More official rules for Bingo and Buzzword Bingo are here.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Do you get an extra prize if the developer in question uses all five in the same sentence?
If I actually use this I’ll be calling Bingo so often that people will believe that I have Tourette’s Syndrome.
Adrian,
Alas, no bonus prizes if your CodeBoy/CodeGrrl uses five in one sentence. But you will win the respect and sympathy of all PMs the world over for not strangling him/her on the freakin’ spot.
John,
Join the club. Everyone at DysfunctoSoft thinks the Cranky PM has Tourette’s. But it’s cuz she actually uses profanity all effing day.
Just can’t get enough of the CPM, love this older post. http://tinyurl.com/8s58zt
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