What's New in AutoCAD 2008? Reducing Customer Embarrassment.

OK - that was just a tease - Due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement, I can't reveal the specifics of what I learned at the Autodesk Developer Network conference this week... At least until February or so.

But as I was thinking about how I might vaguely characterize it - I was reminded of one of the worst parts of being a Product Manager - Customer Embarrassment. This happens when you sit and watch how your customers actually use your tools, day-in-and-day out. You quickly realize that for all the wonderful, whiz-bang features you've added, some very simple tasks are still incredibly difficult to do - or that customers work out elaborate unnatural acts to get what they need out of your software. As a Product Manager, it's painful and embarrassing to watch.

The good news is that, as a Product Manager, you have the power to fix things in the next release!

So that's all I can say for now... I'm not sure how many new features will have the WOW factor like we saw in AutoCAD 2007... But there are MANY features that will draw a collective sigh of happiness from the users in the trenches, when they realize that their day-to-day work will become much easier.