As a product owner/manager, what's the most annoying question/statement you've ever received?

Question

Alex Robinson · Accepted Answer

The most annoying question I've ever received is "when will this be done?" It's impossible to give a precise answer to that question, and it just puts unnecessary pressure on the team.

Aaron Perry · Answer

Ever heard the gem, 'Why is this taking so long? It seemed easy when we planned it.' It's a classic!

Ernest Flores · Answer

You've gotta love those, 'Can't you just make it like Apple/Google?' questions, as if that's not a colossal undertaking!

Answer

"When will this be done?" is the most annoying question I've ever been asked. "Can you tell me when exactly this feature will be available?" Even though I know how important it is to meet deadlines and produce goods on time, software development is a complicated process with many moving parts and unexpected problems. Usually, I can't say for sure when a project will be done, and even if I give an expected date, it could change because of things like limited resources, technology problems, or changing customer needs. So, when I'm asked for an exact date, it can be upsetting because I know there's a good chance it won't be met. This can hurt my reputation and make stakeholders less likely to trust me.

As a product owner/manager, what's the most annoying question/statement you've ever received?

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