The Product Manager’s Song
A modern take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Major General’s Song.
NOTE: I originally published this on my personal blog in 2009. I thought it deserved to be seen by a new audience. A few of the terms are a bit dated, but then it’s based on a song from over 100 years ago, so I’m not going to worry too much.
And if you’ve got a singing voice, I’d love to record this. I don’t have a singing voice. Contact me if interested.
If you are not familiar with the original song, first watch the two videos at the bottom of this post and then “sing” my version below.
Enjoy.
I am the very model of a high-tech product manager,
I’ve information customer, partner and competitor.
I know the product roadmap and I wrote the full requirements,
From strategic to tactical, all detailed in my documents.
I’m very well acquainted too, with matters very technical,
I understand development, agile, lean and waterfall.
On objectives and GTM, I’m really eager to create
All the information that will make our products really great.
I am very good with customers and early stage prospects;
I listen to them carefully and track all their feature requests.
I then prioritize them into releases point and major;
I am the very model of a high-tech product manager.
I can answer all questions that will save an opportunity;
I really wish the reps would use a real sales methodology.
I always ask the prospects about the problems they must solve;
Then I present the latest roadmap and show how it can evolve.
I bring this insight to HQ and deliver it accordingly;
I need the engineers to implement it all wholeheartedly.
Then I can move along and start helping product marketing,
To understand the next release and create our new messaging.
I define new offerings and also write the business case;
Competitively speaking, I’m not satisfied with second place.
In short, in matters customer, partner and competitor,
I am the very model of a high-tech product manager.
I have worked in other jobs as a sales rep and a marketer;
I even spent two long years as a database developer.
But I would wonder constantly what kind of role was best for me;
I thought and thought and talk to others, then I found some clarity.
I really am a business person, with fondness for technology
I blend it all together to create great product strategy.
I think Product Management was the job that was meant for me.
Yet I wonder if others think I’m easy going or crazy?
I only hope the role will grow real soon into maturity.
But still in matters customer, partner and competitor
I am the very model of a high-tech Product Manager.
And here are two versions of the song. The original, and my favourite spoof of the original (other than my own!) 😄
A little feedback please
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I’d like some feedback on the article to make it better. Should take 30 seconds at the most, but will really be valuable to me. Thanks in advance.
===> Click here. <===
This is the original song.
This is a great adapted version from the animated series Reboot.
