Product Development for Technical Managers
University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera Specialization
Overview
Google, IBM & Meta Certificates – 40% Off
One Coursera Plus subscription covers most Professional Certificates on Coursera.
Unlock All Certificates
In this specialization, learners explore the processes used by successful companies to develop products customers want to buy. They begin by examining product strategy and how companies decide which types of products businesses need to develop. They define the market and business opportunity and how companies create new product concepts to meet this need. Learners also explore the role of product management, including how successful companies execute product planning, maintain a portfolio of product development projects, and integrate advances in technology into the product planning process. Finally, learners examine the tools and design strategies to ensure products have a minimal environmental footprint and other concepts behind the Circular Economy.
This specialization can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
Syllabus
- Course 1: Strategic Product Development
- Course 2: Managing the New Product Development Process
- Course 3: Product Innovation Management
Courses
-
This course discusses how companies create new products that customers want while achieving their financial objectives. Learners begin by defining the product strategies necessary to ensure a company’s long-term growth. Learners then explore the different product development processes used by high-tech businesses today, such as Stage-Gate and Lean/Agile techniques. Learners conclude by illustrating the tools to build the high-performance teams that take the development process from concept through product launch. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
-
This course covers the product development process in detail. With the opportunity defined, learners begin with ideation techniques such as Design Thinking to create new product concepts. Learners define the tools to create product specifications that meet customer requirements, then conceptualize different ways of meeting those requirements. Learners conclude by exploring prototyping and the techniques used to down-select to a concept that is then carried through launch. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
-
This third course in the product development specialization discusses the business side of product development. The course begins with an overview of marketing and pricing strategies, and how company’s price their products today. Learners are then introduced to the project’s financial business case, defining key financial metrics such as NPV, IRR and Payback Period. The course then shows how to make an effective presentation these to the executive office for funding. The course concludes with a discussion of sustainability and how to design innovative products for a circular economy. Throughout the course, the student is challenged to continue developing their own product idea, one they have followed throughout the specialization. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
Taught by
Michael J. Readey, Ph.D.