A self-paced career-skills course for analysts, project staff, engineers and service professionals who want to move into digital product management. Seven lessons cover what product managers actually do, user and market discovery, defining problems and outcomes, prioritisation and roadmaps, working with design and engineering, product metrics and experimentation, and a transition plan with portfolio evidence. The course builds skills; it does not promise a job, promotion or salary outcome.
What you will learn
- Describe the responsibilities of a digital product manager
- Run user interviews and synthesise discovery findings
- Write problem statements, outcomes and hypotheses
- Prioritise a backlog and build an outcome-based roadmap
- Collaborate effectively with design and engineering
- Choose product metrics and design experiments
- Build a portfolio and transition plan
Lessons
- What a Digital Product Manager Does
- Discovery: Understanding Users and Markets
- Problems, Outcomes and Hypotheses
- Prioritisation and Roadmaps
- Working with Design and Engineering
- Product Metrics and Experiments
- Your Transition Plan and Portfolio
Self-paced course from Tech Skills Library. Educational content only; it is not an accredited qualification, licence or credential.
Lessons
What a Digital Product Manager Does
Discovery: Understanding Users and Markets
Discovery is the work of learning what problems are worth solving before committing to build. Strong discovery prevents teams from building features nobody needs. User interviews Interview users about their goals, current workflows and frustrations. Ask about specific recent experiences rather than hypothetical preferences: “Tell me about the last time you did this” is better […]
Problems, Outcomes and Hypotheses
Clear problem statements and outcomes keep teams focused on value instead of output. They also make prioritisation and measurement easier. Problem statements A good problem statement describes who has the problem, what the problem is, the context and why it matters. Example: “Small business customers abandon invoice setup because they cannot import client lists, causing […]
Prioritisation and Roadmaps
Product managers always have more ideas than capacity. Prioritisation decides what to do now, next and later, and the roadmap communicates that direction. Prioritisation frameworks RICE: reach multiplied by impact multiplied by confidence, divided by effort. Value versus effort: a simple two-by-two to find quick wins. Cost of delay: how much value is lost by […]
Working with Design and Engineering
Product managers deliver through others. The relationship with designers and engineers determines whether the team builds the right thing well. The product trio Many teams use a trio of product manager, designer and engineering lead who work together on discovery and decisions. Each brings a different perspective: value and viability, usability, and feasibility. Involving engineers […]
Product Metrics and Experiments
Product managers use data to understand how a product performs and whether changes create value. A metrics framework Acquisition: how users discover and sign up. Activation: whether they reach first value. Retention: whether they keep using the product. Revenue or value: whether usage creates business value. Referral: whether users recommend it. Choose one north-star metric […]
Your Transition Plan and Portfolio
Many people move into product management internally by taking on product responsibilities before the title. A portfolio of real work makes your case concrete. Building experience in your current role Volunteer to run user interviews or analyse support data. Write a problem statement and proposal for an improvement. Help prioritise a backlog or run a […]