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James Green

Product management is one of the fastest growing and most lucrative jobs available today. Companies have awoken to the desperate need for product managers to create products that customers love, that integrate design, functionality, and business solutions. In our course, we define the fundamentals of product management and why this role is so coveted as a launch pad for future CEOs and startup founders.

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Product management is one of the fastest growing and most lucrative jobs available today. Companies have awoken to the desperate need for product managers to create products that customers love, that integrate design, functionality, and business solutions. In our course, we define the fundamentals of product management and why this role is so coveted as a launch pad for future CEOs and startup founders.

To be effective, product managers need a clear understanding of their jobs and duties. They also need a clear understanding of the required skills and competencies. An appreciation of these roles, responsibilities, skills, and capabilities is also beneficial for stakeholders and team members who collaborate with product managers.

This course investigates the framework for success in product management by defining the product manager’s position in an organization and the key responsibilities. We will examine the skills and competencies most critical to carrying out those responsibilities. To further improve your understanding of product management, we will discuss how product managers engage with the product team and stakeholders to create and manage successful products.

Product managers must also know how to establish, organize, and lead a team. They must know the typical product development life cycle and be able to select the right development methodology for the product and the target market. To meet these challenges to product team leadership, we will consider the phases of product development and the roles that product managers play in each step. We’ll examine a variety of team structures and product development methodologies, and the importance of establishing a team charter. Lastly, we will also explore the opportunities and challenges of market development and commercialization. We’ll provide an orientation to key marketing concepts critical to developing and commercializing innovative products and services.

What you'll learn

  • Roles and responsibilities of the product manager. The job of the product manager, skills and competencies, and stakeholder management
  • Managing innovative product teams. Organizing and managing a product team, product development life cycle, development methodologies, and engaging with stakeholders and funding sources
  • Marketing challenges and guiding principles. Marketing challenges, common marketing mistakes, know your customer, and rethinking the 4P’s of marketing
  • Customer development. Revisiting customer development, highlights from the Customer Development Manifesto, market type and marketing, and how market type affects marketing strategy
  • Crossing the chasm. Basics of crossing the chasm, solving customer problems, segmenting the market, and expanding your market

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • the job of the product manager, skills and competencies, and stakeholder management
  • organizing and managing a product team, product development life cycle, development methodologies, and engaging with stakeholders and funding sources
  • marketing challenges, common marketing mistakes, know your customer, and rethinking the 4p’s of marketing
  • revisiting customer development, highlights from the customer development manifesto, market type and marketing, and how market type affects marketing strategy
  • basics of crossing the chasm, solving customer problems, segmenting the market, and expanding your market

Syllabus

Module 1: Roles and Responsibilities of the Product Manager
Module 2: Managing Innovative Product Teams
Module 3: Marketing Challenges and Guiding Principles
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Module 4: Customer Development and Crossing the Chasm

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Examines key responsibilities of product management, essential for future CEOs and startup founders
Taught by recognized instructors James Green
Develops leadership skills for managing product teams
Provides principles for marketing innovative products
Covers essential phases of product development

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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 Fundamentals with these activities:
Read 'Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love'
Gain insights from a leading expert in product management on how to create successful products.
View Transformed on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read chapters 1-3 to understand the core principles of product management
  • Review case studies and examples throughout the book
Review Basic Statistics
Review basic statistics fundamentals to prepare for the more advanced topics covered in the course.
Browse courses on Basic Statistics
Show steps
  • Review concepts of mean, median, and mode.
  • Practice calculating standard deviation and variance.
Follow Tutorials on Agile Development Methodologies
Become familiar with agile development methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban through guided tutorials.
Browse courses on Agile Development
Show steps
  • Explore tutorials on Scrum or Kanban methodologies.
  • Complete hands-on exercises to apply the concepts.
Five other activities
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Show all eight activities
Practice Writing User Stories
Develop your skills in writing clear and concise user stories.
Browse courses on User Stories
Show steps
  • Review the format and structure of user stories.
  • Write user stories for a variety of scenarios.
Participate in Discussion Forums
Engage with peers and discuss product management concepts, challenges, and best practices.
Browse courses on Product Management
Show steps
  • Join discussion forums related to product management.
  • Actively participate in discussions and share insights.
Create a Product Roadmap
Create a product roadmap outlining the vision, goals, and key milestones for a product or feature.
Browse courses on Product Roadmap
Show steps
  • Define the problem statement and target audience.
  • Identify key features and functionalities.
  • Establish a timeline and milestones.
Design and Prototype a Mobile Application
Apply your product management knowledge to design and prototype a mobile application.
Browse courses on Mobile Application Design
Show steps
  • Identify a problem or opportunity.
  • Develop and validate a solution.
  • Create a prototype using design tools.
Conduct Market Research and Analyze Customer Needs
Develop your understanding of customer needs and market trends through market research.
Browse courses on Market Research
Show steps
  • Define the research objectives and scope.
  • Choose appropriate research methods.
  • Analyze and interpret research findings.
  • Create a comprehensive market research report.

Career center

Learners who complete Product Management Fundamentals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Product Manager
This course, Product Management Fundamentals, is specifically designed to aid you in becoming a Product Manager. It discusses the role of a Product Manager, defining their duties, responsibilities, and key skills as well as how to lead a team. A large focus of this course is on the product development life cycle, with a look at different methodologies to plan and execute the development of products that meet customer needs. It also discusses challenges a Product Manager may encounter during commercialization and marketing, and provides strategies for success.
Marketing Manager
Individuals looking to become a Marketing Manager should take this course to help them learn the strategies and skills needed to lead teams in the marketing of products and services, as well as how to implement customer development strategies to grow a business.
Product Development Manager
Those interested in the Product Development Manager role may be interested in this course. It goes over the different phases of product development and the role a manager plays in each step.
Business Analyst
This course may be useful for those interested in becoming a Business Analyst, providing information on managing innovative product teams, the product development life cycle, and how to engage with stakeholders.
Project Manager
While this course does not specifically cover project management, it may be useful for those who want to succeed in this role, as it provides knowledge about leading teams through product development, stakeholder management, and marketing strategies.
Entrepreneur
Those looking to become Entrepreneurs may find this course useful as it covers topics related to developing and marketing successful products, which are essential skills for running a business.
Consultant
This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming a Consultant, as it provides knowledge about how to manage product teams, understand customer needs, and develop marketing strategies.
Sales Manager
Sales Managers may benefit from this course's focus on marketing challenges and guiding principles, as well as its discussion of customer development and crossing the chasm.
Operations Manager
While this course does not specifically cover operations management, it may be useful for those who want to succeed in this role, as it provides knowledge about managing teams and developing products.
Account Manager
This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming an Account Manager, as it covers topics related to stakeholder management and how to engage with customers to build relationships.
Data Analyst
While this course does not specifically cover data analysis, it may be useful for those who want to succeed in this role, as it provides knowledge about analyzing data and drawing insights.
Financial Analyst
This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming a Financial Analyst, as it provides knowledge about how to analyze and interpret financial data.
UX Designer
This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming a UX Designer, as it provides knowledge about how to design and develop products that meet user needs.
Software Engineer
Those interested in becoming a Software Engineer may find this course useful as it covers topics related to product development and managing teams.
Marketing Specialist
This course may be helpful for those interested in becoming a Marketing Specialist, as it provides knowledge about how to develop and execute marketing campaigns.

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 Fundamentals.
Provides insights into the product development process from ideation to launch. Cagan emphasizes the importance of customer feedback and the need for a product vision.
Introduces the Lean Product Process, a framework for developing products with a focus on customer feedback and iteration.
Examines the reasons why successful companies often fail to innovate and adapt to new technologies.
Helps readers develop a framework for evaluating and creating effective strategies.

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