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Product Management

Understanding the Business

This course will give you an understanding of business concepts that will help you navigate product strategy, discovery, design, and development while supporting a growing business.

Too many Product managers maximize their products and features without fully understanding how they lead up into business goals and outcomes. In this course, Product Management: Understanding the Business, you’ll learn to navigate product strategy, discovery, design, and development while impacting Key Objectives and Key Results. First, you’ll explore business vision and strategy. Next, you’ll discover business models and how they impact the product team. Finally, you’ll learn tips and tricks on how product can and should collaborate between all other teams across the business. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to navigate product Strategy, Discovery, Design, and Development while supporting a growing business.

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Product Management Business Strategy Business Outcomes Business Teams Stakeholders Key Objectives Key Results

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Understand Your Business

Company Strategy and Positioning

Creating Business Outcomes

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Jeff Hurd, who are recognized for their work in x

Develops skills that are highly relevant in an academic setting

Develops skills that are highly relevant to industry

Examines how business vision and strategy lead up into business goals and outcomes

Explores how business models impact the product team

Teaches how product can and should collaborate between all other teams across the business

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Reviews summary

Product management: business essentials for pms

According to students, this course offers a clear and concise overview of business concepts essential for product managers. Many found it highly practical, helping them connect product decisions to broader business goals and outcomes. Learners particularly highlight its utility in understanding company strategy and business models, fostering better collaboration across teams. While largely seen as a strong foundational course for new or aspiring PMs, some more experienced learners felt it was a high-level overview and desired more in-depth case studies or advanced discussions. Overall, it's praised for providing actionable insights.

Particularly beneficial for new or aspiring product managers.

"As an aspiring PM, this filled many gaps in my knowledge."

"As a new product manager, this course provided an incredibly clear roadmap to understanding..."

"It's a decent course for beginners..."

Delivers a solid and clear understanding of core business concepts.

"A very concise and practical overview of business fundamentals for product managers."

"As a new product manager, this course provided an incredibly clear roadmap to understanding..."

"This course provided me with a strong foundation in understanding business concepts for PMs."

Provides practical tools and strategies for immediate application.

"The course provides actionable insights you can immediately apply."

"I learned how to use practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."

"I appreciated the practical tips on stakeholder collaboration."

Helps product managers align product work with business strategy.

"This course truly helped me connect the dots between product initiatives and overall business strategy."

"I feel much more confident discussing KPIs and financial implications with stakeholders now."

"It clarifies how product decisions directly impact revenue and growth."

Some desire more in-depth coverage and practical case studies.

"Though I wished for more in-depth case studies to apply the frameworks."

"I was hoping for more advanced discussions or unique perspectives..."

"I felt like it skimmed over some important details. More practical exercises or real-world examples would have been beneficial."

Experienced PMs may find some content too introductory.

"...as someone with some business background, much of it felt like a high-level recap."

"I was hoping for more advanced discussions or unique perspectives on integrating product with specific business challenges."

"The course is okay. It’s concise, but maybe too much so. I felt like it skimmed over some important details."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Product Management: Understanding the Business with these activities:

Review basic business concepts

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Reviewing these basic concepts will prepare you for deeper examination of product strategy and development within a business.

Browse courses on Business Concepts

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Read through course syllabus to identify key terms
Complete a business concepts refresher course or tutorial

Explore business case studies

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Real-world examples will help you understand how the principles of business strategy are implemented in practice.

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Identify a business case study that aligns with your interests
Read the case study and analyze the business strategies used
Write a summary of your key takeaways

Attend industry conferences and meetups

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Networking with industry professionals will provide insights and expand your knowledge of current trends in product management.

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Identify relevant industry conferences and meetups
Attend events and actively participate in discussions
Connect with professionals and exchange ideas

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Participate in a product development discussion group

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Collaborating with others will help you gain diverse perspectives and enhance your understanding of different strategies.

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Join an online discussion group or forum dedicated to product development
Contribute to discussions and share your insights
Seek feedback from peers and actively listen to their perspectives

Analyze product requirements and write user stories

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Practice writing user stories will help you understand the customer's perspective and develop a strong foundation in product management.

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Read through a product description or user story template
Break down the requirements into smaller tasks
Write user stories that capture the customer's needs and acceptance criteria

Develop a business plan for a hypothetical product

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Creating a business plan will help you apply your knowledge and gain a comprehensive understanding of how business strategy impacts product development.

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Identify a product idea and conduct market research
Define the target market and customer persona
Develop a marketing strategy and sales forecast
Write a business plan that outlines your product strategy and implementation plan

Develop a product roadmap

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Creating a product roadmap will help you visualize the product's evolution and align stakeholders around a shared vision.

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Gather input from stakeholders and analyze market trends
Define the product vision and goals
Create a timeline and prioritize features
Communicate the roadmap to stakeholders

Mentor junior product managers or aspiring entrepreneurs

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Mentoring will help you reinforce your knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of product management principles.

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Identify an opportunity to mentor someone interested in product management
Share your knowledge and experience
Provide guidance and feedback
Reflect on your mentoring experiences and identify areas for improvement

Career center

Learners who complete Product Management: Understanding the Business will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Product Manager

This course, Product Management: Understanding the Business, can help you establish a solid foundation for a career as a Product Manager. It will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to navigate product strategy, discovery, design, and development while supporting a growing business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Product Marketing Manager

The course Product Management: Understanding the Business can be very useful for those seeking a career as a Product Marketing Manager. It will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to develop and execute effective product marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Marketing Manager

Business Analyst

Those seeking a career as a Business Analyst will find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be very helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to analyze business needs and develop solutions that meet those needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Management Consultant

The course Product Management: Understanding the Business can be helpful for those seeking a career as a Management Consultant. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to advise clients on how to improve their business performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Entrepreneur

Those seeking a career as an Entrepreneur will find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be very helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to start and grow your own business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Software Engineer

Although not a perfect match, the course Product Management: Understanding the Business may be helpful for those seeking a career as a Software Engineer. The course will help you to understand the business side of software development, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this understanding, you'll be well-equipped to develop software that meets the needs of the business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Data Analyst

The course Product Management: Understanding the Business can be helpful for those seeking a career as a Data Analyst. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make better decisions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Project Manager

Although not a perfect match, the course Product Management: Understanding the Business may be helpful for those seeking a career as a Project Manager. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to project management, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this understanding, you'll be well-equipped to lead and manage projects successfully.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Operations Manager

Those seeking a career as an Operations Manager may find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to manage the day-to-day operations of a business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Financial Analyst

Although not a perfect match, the course Product Management: Understanding the Business may be helpful for those seeking a career as a Financial Analyst. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this understanding, you'll be well-equipped to analyze the financial performance of a business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Marketing Manager

Those seeking a career as a Marketing Manager may find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to develop and execute effective marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Sales Manager

Those seeking a career as a Sales Manager may find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to lead and manage a sales team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Human Resources Manager

Although not a perfect match, the course Product Management: Understanding the Business may be helpful for those seeking a career as a Human Resources Manager. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this understanding, you'll be well-equipped to manage the human resources function of a business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Customer Success Manager

Those seeking a career as a Customer Success Manager may find the course Product Management: Understanding the Business to be helpful. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this foundation, you'll be well-equipped to manage customer relationships and ensure customer satisfaction.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Success Manager

Business Development Manager

Although not a perfect match, the course Product Management: Understanding the Business may be helpful for those seeking a career as a Business Development Manager. The course will teach you the business concepts that are integral to the field, including business vision and strategy, business models, and how to collaborate with all other teams across the business. With this understanding, you'll be well-equipped to identify and develop new business opportunities.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Reading list

We've selected 12 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Product Management: Understanding the Business.

Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use...

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The Lean Startup is essential for entrepreneurs and product managers who wish to build successful companies using iterative development and scientific testing.

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use...

Hardcover

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use...

Kindle Edition