Product development. Learn the skills important to the product lifecycle.

In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, organisations are increasingly adopting product-led practices to remain competitive and innovative. Product management has emerged as a critical discipline driving this shift, enabling organisations to solve complex customer problems, manage risks, and create sustainable value. Notably, some of the world’s top CEOs, such as Satya Nadella (Microsoft) and Sundar Pichai (Google), have their roots in product management, reflecting its impact and growing demand.

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of product management, focusing on foundational knowledge, practical tools, and emerging trends such as artificial intelligence (AI). Using the structured 5D framework - Direction, Discover, Define, Deliver, and Drive – participants will gain the mindset and skills to tackle real-world challenges and deliver impactful solutions.

Whether you're looking to break into the field or apply these principles to your current role, this course offers a balance of theory and hands-on activities, giving you the confidence to navigate the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to performance measurement. By the end of the course, you will leave with practical frameworks, strategies, and insights to succeed in product management.

Aims

The aim of this course is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of product management by exploring the product lifecycle. Through practical frameworks, like the 5D’s, and a focus on key mindsets, tools and processes, you will learn how to solve complex customer problems, manage risk, and drive sustainable business and customer value. This course also provides practical guidance for breaking into the field, equipping you with the tools and insights necessary to succeed in a product management role.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• understand the fundamentals of product management:                        
  • recognise the value exchange in product management, the essential role of the product manager, and the mindset required to navigate risk, ambiguity, and complex environments
• utilise key product management skills to solve real-world problems, deliver sustainable value, think holistically, and influence key stakeholders
• apply product management principles:
  • explore the first principles and contextual factors—such as macroeconomic forces, organisational type, strategy, and culture—to tailor your product management approach to any environment
• understand lifecycle management and strategic tools from idea generation to product vision and strategy (using tools like the product canvas) to guide a product through its lifecycle, utilising methods to reduce risk and validate ideas against desirability, feasibility, and viability
• identify the ways in which AI can enhance product management
• drive product success and measure impact with emphasis based on performance measurement using financial metrics, Pirate Metrics, and leading vs. lagging indicators to demonstrate product success and ROI
• list the core capabilities required to be a successful product manager, optimise your LinkedIn profile, craft a standout cover letter and CV, and know how to succeed in interviews.

Content

The context of product management

• Why do some products thrive while others fight to survive?
• Product management framework – The 5D’s (direction, discover, define, deliver, drive)

The practice of product management

• Value exchange
• The role of the product manager
• Product manager mindset
• Managing risk
• Top product management skills
• Deliver sustainable value
• Solve problems
• Influence
• Dealing with ambiguity
• Think holistically
• Product management first principles

Context is everything

• Macro factors
• Organisation type
• Organisation structure
• Strategy
• Culture
• Hamilton Helmer’s 7 powers

Product management lifecycle

Idea stage:

• Validating ideas through market research and customer insights (desirability, feasibility, viability)
• Developing a clear product vision and strategy
• Defining a minimum viable product (MVP) to test initial assumptions

Introduction stage:

• Launching the product and gaining initial market traction
• Creating a product roadmap for ongoing development
• Managing early-stage risks and fine-tuning the product based on feedback

Growth stage:

• Scaling the product to capture a larger market share
• Optimising features and functionality based on user feedback
• Establishing product-market fit and expanding into new markets or segments

Maturity stage:

• Maximising profitability through cost optimisation and process efficiencies
• Differentiating the product to maintain competitive advantage
• Monitoring market trends to avoid stagnation and innovate when necessary

Decline stage:

• Recognising signs of market saturation or product obsolescence
• Deciding between revitalising the product (new features, markets) or phasing it out
• Preparing for product discontinuation or transitioning customers to newer offerings

Product management framework

Step 1: Direction

• Coming up with ideas
• Product vision
• Product strategy – product canvas

Step 2: Discover

• Reduce risk
• Desirability, feasibility, viability
• Different research methods
• Understanding the strength of evidence
• Understanding the problem
• Four forces involved in switching products
• Switching interviews
• Jobs-to-be-done

Step 3: Define

• Translating insights into opportunities
• Defining solutions
• Testing your solutions
• Is your problem pervasive?

Step 4: Deliver

• Product roadmap
• Dual track agile – continuous discovery
• Project vs. product model
• Product trio
• Core technology

Step 5: Drive

• Measuring performance
• Financial performance
• Product metrics
• Leading vs. lagging indicators
• Pirate metrics
• Demonstrating payback on investment

AI and product management

• AI tools in product management
• AI use cases for product management
• Useful prompts
• Chat PRD
• Product manager of the future

Breaking into product management

• Playbook for getting a PM job
• Optimise your LinkedIn to be job-ready
• Killer cover letter
• Creating a CV that gets noticed
• Interviewing for a PM role
• Case studies

Intended audience

This course is designed for those interested in a role in product management, or those who are already involved in a role in the product management space.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

Workshop

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter-taught workshop
• Online workshop via the platform Zoom

Materials

Course materials are provided electronically using Dropbox.

Additional information

Please bring a laptop with you to class, to access course learning materials.