GUEST BLOG ProductManagementJournalVolume 7 19 writethedocbyFridayiftheproductkeepschangingeveryhour.It’s reallyhardtoorganisefantasyleaguesorsurfthewebwithsolittle privacy.PlusthepornshuioftheWarRoomiscompletelyoff. Soitsuckstobeyou,Mr.ReleaseManager,andtheCPMissorryfor you. ButjustbecauseyouarestuckinthatWarRoomdoesn’tmeanthe CrankyProductManagershouldhave tojoinyou.YouarguethatinScrum theproductmanageristhesameas theProductOwner,andthereforethe CrankyProductManagerneedstobe constantlyavailabletotheteamin ordertomakeon-the-spotdecisions withinminutesoftheasking. Ergo, youdemandtheCrankyProduct Managersitinthatsticky-note- encrusted,windowlesstombwithyoualldamnday. Uh,noway. Notgonnahappen. Whynot?BecausetheCrankyProductManagerneedstobethe VoiceoftheCustomerandtheVoiceoftheMarket. Howisshetodo thatwithoutactuallyVISITINGsomecustomersandprospects? And VISITINGmeansthatsheactuallyneedstoleavetheoffice,hopon airplanes,andflyfar,faraway. Shecannotanswerquestionsfromthe devteamwithin5minutesifshe’sonaplane,orinameeting,oronthe phonewithacustomer. NotthattheCPMwouldn’tLOVEtohear debatesaboutIronManorwhetherthatStarWarscartoonis“canon”or not–allday,everyday,forhoursonend.Whowouldn’t? Andyourresponse,Mr.ReleaseManager? Youarguedthatperhaps theCrankyProductManagershouldnotvisitsomanycustomersand shouldspendmoretimeintheWarRoom. Anyoneelseseetheirony?TheVoiceoftheCustomershouldhave lessinteractionwithcustomers? Allsoshecanmakeon-the-spot customer-facingdecisionsmorequickly? WiseWords “Donotcondemn thejudgementof anotherbecauseit differsfromyour own.Youmayboth bewrong.” Dandamis, philosopher