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Product Management

Understanding the Business

Jeff Hurd

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.

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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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What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview
Understand Your Business
Company Strategy and Positioning
Creating Business Outcomes
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Business Teams and Stakeholders

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, 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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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
Reviewing these basic concepts will prepare you for deeper examination of product strategy and development within a business.
Browse courses on Business Concepts
Show steps
  • Read through course syllabus to identify key terms
  • Complete a business concepts refresher course or tutorial
Explore business case studies
Real-world examples will help you understand how the principles of business strategy are implemented in practice.
Show steps
  • 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
Networking with industry professionals will provide insights and expand your knowledge of current trends in product management.
Show steps
  • Identify relevant industry conferences and meetups
  • Attend events and actively participate in discussions
  • Connect with professionals and exchange ideas
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Participate in a product development discussion group
Collaborating with others will help you gain diverse perspectives and enhance your understanding of different strategies.
Show steps
  • 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
Practice writing user stories will help you understand the customer's perspective and develop a strong foundation in product management.
Show steps
  • 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
Creating a business plan will help you apply your knowledge and gain a comprehensive understanding of how business strategy impacts product development.
Show steps
  • 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
Creating a product roadmap will help you visualize the product's evolution and align stakeholders around a shared vision.
Show steps
  • 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
Mentoring will help you reinforce your knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of product management principles.
Show steps
  • 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.
The Lean Startup is essential for entrepreneurs and product managers who wish to build successful companies using iterative development and scientific testing.
Crossing the Chasm classic book that provides a framework for understanding the challenges of bringing a new product to market.
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy provides a clear and concise framework for developing effective strategies.
The Innovator's Dilemma explains why large companies often fail to innovate and provides a framework for overcoming this challenge.
The Lean Product Playbook provides a practical guide to using lean principles to develop and launch successful products.
The Lean Product Development Process detailed guide to using lean principles to develop and launch successful products.

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