Bill Gates Reviews Focus Product Development

Microsoft often relies on product reviews with Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates to coordinate the technical activities of its highly decentralized development teams. These product reviews, known within the company as “Bill Reviews,” give Gates the opportunity to interact with the product teams and directly impact the features and architecture of the company’s products, although there are limits to what can be accomplished.

Focused on Upcoming Products

A Bill Review is a meeting, typically lasting two to three hours, and is not meant to be a discussion of past successes. It is instead almost entirely forward looking—focusing on the technologies, features, and strategies for upcoming releases.

Although the exact list of people who attend a review will vary, a typical Bill Review includes the following:

• Gates, sometimes accompanied by one of his technical advisers
• Product team leaders, such as the product unit manager as well as the managers of the development, testing,