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Kenny Wong

In this six-week capstone course, you will gain practical management experience in a safe, simulated software production setting. You will apply Agile practices and techniques to conquer industry-inspired challenges. Interacting with a realistic client, you will discern what they want and express what they truly need in software requirements to drive software production. Upon completing the capstone, you will be prepared to advance your career as a confident software product management professional.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Capstone Project - Week 1
Welcome to the first week of the capstone. This week, you will be primarily focusing on eliciting requirements. You will get to meet your client as well as collaborate with an expert advisor. You will also meet the development team that you will be working with. They will help you to clarify and elaborate on the information elicited from the client and expert. You will finish off the week by creating a Requirements Document.
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Courses builds a foundation for software product management, which is highly relevant in industry
Develops foundational skills in Agile principles and practices
Taught by Kenny Wong, an expert in software product management
Provides a simulated, real-life project experience to practice software product management skills
Offers opportunities to interact with a realistic client, expert advisor, and development team
Students can learn how to elicit requirements, refine user stories, conduct risk assessments, and create release plans

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Reviews summary

Realistic software pm capstone experience

According to learners, this capstone provides a highly realistic simulation of a software product manager role, offering invaluable hands-on experience. Students found it an excellent opportunity to apply Agile practices and concepts from previous courses by managing a project with a simulated client and team. While the workload is substantial, requiring considerable time and effort, it's widely seen as a rewarding and practical culmination that prepares you well for a PM career. Some noted occasional ambiguity in instructions or challenges managing team dynamics, typical in such projects.
Assumes specialization knowledge.
"You absolutely need the foundation from the rest of the specialization."
"This capstone is the culmination; do the preceding courses first."
"It heavily relies on concepts and terminology introduced earlier."
"Don't take this standalone if you're new to the topic."
Navigate group project dynamics.
"Working with a team was challenging but necessary for a realistic PM experience."
"Learned valuable lessons about coordinating with different team members."
"Team success relies heavily on everyone pulling their weight."
"Communication and accountability within the team were key challenges."
Apply concepts from the specialization.
"It's where all the theoretical knowledge from the previous courses comes together."
"Finally got to apply Agile practices like stand-ups, demos, and sprint planning."
"The best part was applying product management frameworks to a live project."
"Translating client needs into requirements was a practical exercise."
Experience the real challenges of a PM.
"This capstone is a fantastic simulation of real-world software product management."
"Working with the simulated client and dev team felt incredibly realistic and challenging."
"The project structure and sprint cycles really mimic an actual agile environment."
"I felt like I was truly performing the role of a product manager."
Some guidelines could be clearer.
"Sometimes the instructions for assignments felt a bit vague."
"Could use more specific guidance on what is expected for deliverables."
"There were moments of uncertainty about the project scope or requirements."
"Wish the criteria for grading were more explicit."
Requires significant time commitment.
"Be prepared to dedicate a lot of time; the workload is substantial."
"This capstone demanded significantly more hours per week than other courses."
"Managing all the deliverables and team communication was very time-intensive."
"It felt like juggling multiple tasks constantly."

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 Software Product Management Capstone with these activities:
Create a Study Guide
Reinforce your understanding of key concepts and prepare for assessments.
Browse courses on Study Skills
Show steps
  • Review course materials (notes, slides, readings).
  • Identify key concepts and topics.
  • Summarize and organize the information.
Explore Agile Principles
Learn the basics of Agile methodology and how it relates to software product management.
Show steps
  • Read chapters 1-3 of the book.
  • Take notes on key concepts and principles.
  • Discuss your findings with a classmate or colleague.
Conduct User Interviews
Develop skills in gathering and analyzing user feedback.
Browse courses on User Interviews
Show steps
  • Prepare interview questions.
  • Conduct interviews with potential users.
  • Analyze interview data.
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Develop a Product Vision
Gain experience in defining the vision and scope of a software product.
Browse courses on Product Vision
Show steps
  • Identify the target market and user needs.
  • Define the product's value proposition.
  • Create a product roadmap.
Develop a Software Requirements Specification (SRS)
Enhance your ability to define and document software requirements.
Show steps
  • Gather and analyze stakeholder needs.
  • Develop use cases and scenarios.
  • Write and review the SRS.
Participate in a Scrum Team Simulation
Experience the Agile development process through a simulated team environment.
Browse courses on Scrum
Show steps
  • Join a Scrum team.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.
  • Deliver a software increment at the end of the sprint.
Assist with a Local Software Development Project
Apply your skills to make a meaningful contribution to your community.
Browse courses on Software Development
Show steps
  • Find a local organization or project that needs software development assistance.
  • Offer your services.
  • Work with the team to develop and deliver a software solution.
Contribute to an Open-Source Software Project
Gain practical experience in software development and collaboration.
Browse courses on Open-Source Software
Show steps
  • Find an open-source project to contribute to.
  • Fix bugs or add features to the project.
  • Participate in community discussions.

Career center

Learners who complete Software Product Management Capstone will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Product Manager
Product Managers collect the information and requirements for software development. This program will help you learn the art of extracting such information, which is a necessary part of software product management. You will obtain first-hand experience eliciting and refining requirements. You will also work with clients and learn to adeptly prioritize user stories, which are crucial to the success of a Product Manager.
Software Engineer
Software Engineers work with software architects to turn requirements into code. This program will teach you this process. It will help you understand how software products are built and how to turn high-level requirements and user stories into actual software code.
Software Architect
Software Architects design and lead software construction. This program will give you the knowledge and experience of leading software construction in a safe, simulated setting. You will work with a development team to build a software product. This program also covers many of the design and planning aspects that are important to Software Architects.
Software Developer
Software Developers write software code. This program will help you understand how requirements and user stories are translated into code. You will work with a team to build a software product. This will provide insight into the coding part of the software development lifecycle.
Information Systems Manager
Information Systems Managers ensure that software is properly developed and meets the needs of users. This program will help you gain an understanding of the software development lifecycle. You will manage the development of a software product and ensure that it meets the requirements of your client. You will also work with a team to build a software product, which will provide hands-on experience with the software development process.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts work with clients to understand their needs and translate them into software requirements. This program will help you develop the skills needed to elicit and refine requirements. You will work with a client to gather their requirements and turn them into a Requirements Document.
Quality Assurance Analyst
Quality Assurance Analysts test software to ensure that it meets requirements and is free of defects. This program will help you understand how software is tested. You will work with a team to test a software product and ensure that it meets the requirements of your client.
Technical Writer
Technical Writers create documentation for software products. This program will help you understand the process of creating software documentation. You will create a Requirements Document and other documentation for a software product.
Project Manager
Project Managers lead software development projects. This program will help you gain the skills needed to manage a software development project. You will manage the development of a software product and ensure that it is completed on time and within budget.
Data Analyst
Data Analysts use data to make informed decisions. This program may be useful for Data Analysts who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how data can be used to improve the software development process.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Managers promote and sell software products. This program may be useful for Marketing Managers who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how to market and sell software products.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers sell software products. This program may be useful for Sales Managers who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how to sell software products.
Customer Success Manager
Customer Success Managers ensure that customers are satisfied with software products. This program may be useful for Customer Success Managers who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how to ensure that customers are satisfied with software products.
User Experience Designer
User Experience Designers design the user interface for software products. This program may be useful for User Experience Designers who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how to design a user interface that is easy to use and enjoyable.
Software Tester
Software Testers test software to ensure that it meets requirements and is free of defects. This program may be useful for Software Testers who want to learn more about the software development process. You will gain an understanding of how software is developed and how to test software.

Reading list

We've selected 21 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 Software Product Management Capstone.
Classic guide to agile software development, covering the principles, patterns, and practices that are essential for success. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about agile development.
Comprehensive guide to product management, covering everything from market research and competitive analysis to product development and launch. It is particularly useful for beginners who want to learn the basics of product management.
Must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the lean startup methodology. It provides a practical guide to building a successful startup, from idea generation to product launch.
Classic on the topic of innovation and disruptive technologies. It is particularly useful for understanding how large companies can avoid being disrupted by new entrants.
Practical guide to user story mapping, a technique that can help you to capture and prioritize the requirements of your software product. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about user story mapping.
Step-by-step guide to the sprint process, a five-day workshop that can help you to solve big problems and test new ideas. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the sprint process.
Novel that tells the story of a fictional IT department that is struggling to keep up with the demands of the business. It is particularly useful for understanding the challenges of IT operations and for learning how to improve collaboration between IT and the business.
Classic work on innovation, and it provides valuable insights into the challenges that large companies face when trying to innovate. It must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about innovation.
Classic work on marketing and selling technology products, and it provides valuable insights into the challenges that companies face when trying to cross the chasm from early adopters to mainstream customers. It must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about marketing and selling technology products.
Practical guide to agile project management using Scrum. It is particularly useful for learning how to plan, execute, and control agile projects.
Practical guide to using user stories in agile software development. It is particularly useful for learning how to write good user stories and for understanding how to use them to drive development.
Practical guide to building a successful startup company. It covers everything from idea generation to product launch, and it valuable resource for anyone who wants to start their own business.
Provides a framework for developing good strategy. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about strategy.
Practical guide to writing clean code. It is particularly useful for learning how to write code that is easy to read, maintain, and debug.
Classic on the topic of software engineering. It is particularly useful for understanding the challenges of software development and for learning how to manage software projects effectively.
Comprehensive guide to software construction. It is particularly useful for learning the principles of software design and for understanding how to write maintainable code.
Practical guide to refactoring code. It is particularly useful for learning how to improve the design of existing code and for understanding how to make code more maintainable.

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