Here are some metaphors that I find useful when describing software product development. In particular, they are useful for describing the basic principles of agile development and the lifecycle of a typical agile project. Learn why software development is like releasing a music album, producing a magazine, staging a theatre production, or producing a film. I will present some justification for each metaphor, and describe how and why I find it useful. I will describe their usefulness as metaphors for software development in general, and for agile development in particular.