The MSN Encarta dictionary has an entry for the term "Armchair Quarterback": Wikipedia simply lumps Armchair Quarterback in as a related idiom in the entry for the term "Backseat Driver."
arm·chair quar·ter·back (plural arm·chair quar·ter·backs) - noun.
- viewer who criticizes conduct of games: somebody who is certain that he or she can make better calls than the coaches or players while watching a competitive sport on television
- giver of unwanted advice: somebody who offers unwanted advice about how to do something or tries to supervise an activity without being asked
I've often used the term "Armchair Product Managers" to describe people who loudly proclaim their opinions of how a product should function. Now, customer feedback is always welcome and important, and there is always value in having passionate and opinionated users. I'm not trying to discount the value of hearing opinions. The distinction here is really one of tone.
Users who demand a feature and declare the idiocy of not including it in the first place are oversimplifying. Product Management is the practice of mitigating risk. Clearly, product managers would like to make as many customers happy as possible. Product Managers also have to meet schedules. Revenue forecasts, market seasonality, technological complexity, difficulty of implementation, and competitive pressures are all at play in feature decisions. Ruthless prioritization is the primary tool of a good Product Manager. Unfortunately, the feature that an Armchair Product Manager demands (nay, exclaims the idiocy of not including), likely simply fell victim to prioritization.
I was brought to think about all this today when I read the blog entry Running iPhone Apps in the Foreground by Dan Provost on his interesting new blog The Russians Used a Pencil. In my opinion, Mr. Provost is not an Armchair Product Manager. I find his suggestion to be an excellent example of how to provide good customer feedback. His feature suggestion is:
- Constructive. This is an improvement that would likely be useful to many users.
- Not just a complaint--it's a suggested solution. (He even mocks it up!)
- Humble. He acknowledges the potential technological hurdles that he has likely glossed over.
- Elegant. He solves the challenge in a simple way (rather than by demanding a fundamental change like background applications and switching).
- Polite. (I said it was about tone. Note that no one is called an idiot.)
Others have already applauded the content of Mr. Provost's excellent suggestion. Let me be the first to applaud it's delivery.
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