Foundations of Product Management

Catalog description

The growth and continued success of companies depend on their ability to manage the lifecycle of their products effectively and comprehensively -- from ideation, design and launch to scaling, growth, and evolution. Product managers are critical players in this -- they own the product vision (from cradle to grave), craft the product roadmap, strategize and lead product development and growth initiatives, and serve as the connective tissue between the company, its partners, and the market. More broadly, product managers champion and evangelize for their products, with both internal and external stakeholders. This course will serve as the introduction to the Product Management track in the Online MBA degree. As such, the focus will be on providing a broad overview of the product management function as well as the roles and responsibilities of a product manager. We will examine some of the key concepts and frameworks that underlie product visioning and product strategy, product road mapping, product design and development, product marketing, and product growth management, and product ecosystem leadership. We will also consider leadership, communication, negotiation, problem-solving and decision-making skills that product managers need to be effective in their role. Artificial intelligence has become an important tool in product management. We will consider some of the emerging applications of AI in product management and the associated risks and benefits. In discussing the different topics in this course, we will draw on examples and case studies from a wide range of industries and markets -- for example, digital and non-digital products, B2C and B2B products, and regional/national and global markets.