Professional Certificate Program in
Product
Management
A fully optimized product
manager could increase
company profits by 34.2%
Source: 280Group Optimizing
Product Management
1
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
“
10 Participant Profile
11 Instructors
16 Program Outline
17 Methodology and Assessment
18 Impact Project
18 Learning Facilitators
19 Professional Development
Webinars
20 Get Your Certification
03 Transforming Opportunities
into Great Products
04 About the Certificate
05 Certificate Structure
08 The Learning Experience
2
22 About MIT Professional Education
23 Corporate Courses
24 The Beyond Online Methodology
25 Benefits of Joining the Alumni
Community
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Index
09 Key Takeaways
The current business landscape is becoming increasingly competitive, forcing us to take a
different approach to how we view products.
In a complex and unpredictable world,
organizations rise to the occasion when
they:7
( Apply strategies to design and develop
product families on a common
platform.7
( Understand the fundamental principles
of product creation.7
( Leverage digital platforms to grow a
loyal user base and drive customer
demand.7
( Have a human-focused approach to
problem-solving and decisionmaking.
3
This program will train you to deal with
complexity, implement technologies and
platforms, and design unique solutions that
will bring beneficial results in every aspect
of the business.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Transforming
Opportunities
into Great Products
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
About this Certificate
Each product and service has its own set of
objectives and challenges which require an
innovative and customized approach to its
product management. Product
management can be described as the
intersection of business, user experience,
and technology
$ Business: Product management assists
teams in achieving their organizational
goals by closing the communication gap
between development, design, the
customer, and the business.
9 months
4
$ User experience: Product management
necessitates excellent user experience,
by advocating for customer needs from
inside the organization.D
$ Technology: Product management takes
place in the engineering department. A
profound comprehension of computer
science is a prerequisite to success as a
product manager.
8-10 hours a week
Online
Product management consists of interdisciplinary responsibilities and draws from a number
of essential skills and aptitudes.
A successful product manager has three main areas of expertise, including the business
processes of planning, developing, launching, and managing a product or service for
optimized success. This means that as a product manager, you will oversee the entire life
cycle of a product or service, from its ideation phase to development, all the way to market
rollout
-
Stay in touch with consumer needs
Define product vision and roadmap
Align and empower the production team
Create a shared product vision with stakeholders
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5
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Certificate Structure
In this 9-month online program, participants will fully explore these three courses, plus
one elective, to better understand and champion product management.
8 weeks
Designing Product Families:
From Strategy to Implementation
Digital platforms and two-sided markets
have quickly established themselves as a
staple of modern business, presenting
new opportunities and challenges alike for
engineers, product managers, regulators,
and entrepreneurs. However, there
continues to be little discussion
surrounding why some digital platforms
help companies flourish where others
have fallen short.
8 weeks
Designing HighImpact Solutions
with MITdesignX
6
With a focus on product design,
manufacturing, and economies of scale in
product development, this online program
explores how product architecture,
platforms, and commonality can help an
organization deploy and manage a family
of products in an increasingly competitive
environment.
8 weeks
Digital Platforms:
Designing Two-Sided Markets
from APIs to Feature Roadmaps
Mastering the art of problem-solving
primarily comes down to incorporating a
design thinking framework that adapts to
your innovation project. With the human
environment facing never-before-seen
challenges of scale, this skill has become
even more crucial in our search for real
solutions.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Core Courses
8 weeks
Life Cycle Assesment:
With future policy changes on the horizon
for a more sustainable planet, LCA paves
the way for organizations to comply with
the future of work and to become an
environmentally friendly brand.
Quantifying Environmental Impacts
In the most transformative era in the
history of humanity, organizations and
projects increasingly need the
combination of such technical excellence
with strong interpersonal and leadership
skills. For this, it is necessary to profile the
so-called ‘soft skills’: create a culture of
driving change, develop a global vision of
the projects and train the ability to inspire
and motivate people.
8 weeks
Machine Learning:
8 weeks
Leadership and Innovation
Reduce spaces of uncertainty and
arbitrariness through automatic learning
and provide organizations and
professionals the security needed to make
impactful decisions.
From Data to Decisions
You will examine the role of critical
thinking in innovating, design your own
toolkit to solve real-world problems, and
learn more about the benefits this
framework can offer you and your
organization.
8 weeks
Innovation and Technology
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7
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Elective Courses
At MIT Professional Education we believe
in practical applications and encourage
participants to implement what they have
learned. Through our programs,
participants are given the tools to make
their learning experience as fulfilling as
possible. Participants will have the chance
to participate in an engaging and
collaborative classroom environment with
discussion forums and group activities.
8
The program is 100% online, and the
virtual campus is available anytime,
anywhere. It is a space for continuous
learning, taking you beyond the
limitations of a traditional classroom. There are no prerequisites for this
certificate. The certificate will guide and
prepare you to understand all the content
and complete the required activities.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
The Learning Experience
MIT Professional Education’s Professional Certificate in Product Management seeks to equip
professionals from various industries with the skills and expertise they need to improve their
products and processes in their given spheres of influence. As a participant, you will also
discover the relevant data-driven tools necessary to convert the knowledge acquired from this
program into real-world, actionable strategies to employ in your own organizations.
01 Develop and understand your product
06 Understand fundamental principles of
strategy to align your product with an
product creation, such as manufacturing
organizational strategy, guide
decisions, composition, and the design
decisions about product features and
evolution process.
priorities, and assess product
performance to inform future decisions.
07 Justify and perform machine learning to
02 Learn how to design and develop
become a critical contributor to complex
effective digital platforms in order to
business decision-making.
build loyal consumer bases and
differentiated products.
08 ElectiveÏ
à Life Cycle Assessment - Quantifying
03 Learn about the main methods and
Environmental Impacts: Apply life
tools used in the design of product
cycle assessments to a product or
families and prioritize solutions for
processÀ
complex problems.
à Innovation and Technology: Develop
a toolkit for innovatingÀ
04 Use platforms to identify new market
à Machine Learning: From Data to
opportunities, combined with decision
Decisions: Understand data in your
making and project management
organization, helping decisioncapabilities.
makingÀ
à Leadership and Innovation: Develop
05 Discover how to facilitate and lead
leadership skills
transdisciplinary problem-solving
teams.
9
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Key Takeaways
This program is aimed at executives from various industries, with a background in product
management and technology. Its goal is to help these professionals create or position their
products, services, and systems, so that they can compete and bring innovation to their
sector.
The program is also targeting current managers with strategic product direction who want
to upskill and maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly transforming business context.
This program is aimed at:
Directors and Senior Managers responsible for product management, product
engineering, innovation, or marketing.
Current Product Leaders and aspiring C-suite executives who want to keep up to
date on trends in product management and innovation.
Senior Executives looking to align product strategy with business strategy and
understand the implications of technology for the product portfolio.
Owners or CEOs of tech startups who need a clear roadmap to launch and manage
their projects effectively.
Professionals with strong leadership skills who want to have a powerful impact on the
success of their organization’s creative processes.
register
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10
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Participant Profile
Dr. Bruce Cameron is director of the System Architecture Lab at MIT. His areas of research include technology strategy, system architecture and product
platform management. Dr. Bruce Cameron Director del MIT System Architecture Group
He is currently the Faculty Director of MIT
´s online certificate “Architecture and
System Engineering” and is working on
various research projects: Analyzing the
costs of supplier replacement and
retention incentives in driven vehicles for
hire (ride hailing), the effects of increased
autonomy in commercial trucking on fleet
management, and the effects of one-pilot
operations on commercial flights.
“The best companies in the world use platforms to compete. The
key to this strategy is understanding how to tell the difference
between consumer choice and reinventing the wheel.”
Dr. Cameron has led research
projects for Amazon, Chevron,
Sikorsky, Nokia, Caterpillar,
and NASA.
11
His work in Sloan Executive
Education has been rated as the highest level of Executive
Education program at MIT for several years
He is a co-founder of
Technology Strategy Partners
and was the consultant for
twelve companies in initial phases of online commerce
platforms.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Instructors
Prof. Svafa Grönfeldt
Founding member of MIT’s innovation accelerator
DesignX
“Changes in our daily lives and corporate environments force
organizations to reexamine their strategy toward their markets,
their employees, and their customers”.
In 2006, she published the
book Service Leadership—
The Quest for Competitive Advantage, along with Judith Strother.
12
She received her Ph.D. in
Industrial Relations from the
London School of Economics
and Political Science, where her major focus was on
service orientation and management.
Prof. Svafa Grönfeldt also
holds an MSc in Technical and Professional
Communication from the
Florida Institute of
Technology.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Prof. Svafa Grönfeldt is a founding member
of MIT’s innovation accelerator MITDesignX
and a co-founder of the MET fund, a
Cambridge-based seed investment fund.
Since 2008, she has also been a member of
the Board of Directors at Össur. Previously,
she held the position of Executive Vice
President of Organizational Development at
the life science company Alvogen and various roles at Actavis Group, one of the
world’s largest pharmaceutical companies,
where she served as Deputy to the CEO of
the company
Gilad Rosenzweig
Executive Director of DesignX, MIT SA+P
“Your expertise in understanding space, emotion, and the
environment can be used to create innovative solutions”.
Rosenzweig is a graduate of
MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
13
He has vast experience in community development,
urban tech, and design.
He created Smarter in the
City, an accelerator for hightech startups in
underrepresented
communities.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Gilad Rosenzweig is an architect and urban
planner with vast experience in community
development, urban tech, and design. As
Executive Director of MITDesignX, the
venture accelerator of MIT’s School of
Architecture and Planning, he is laying the
groundwork for new technology to improve
the comfort and efficiency of buildings,
places, and cities. Before MITDesignX, Gilad
created Smarter in the City, an accelerator
for high-tech startups in underrepresented communities. He is a graduate of MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning
and the Bartlett School of Architecture in
London.
Prof. Timothy W. Simpson
Lecturer at MIT Professional Education
“Courses often don’t ask the question,‘How can we really design
and take advantage of these processes?’ and that question drives
my courses”.
Holds senior positions in
technical design and in the
Faculty of Information
Science and Technology.
14
His research has been
supported by a variety of
federal and state agencies,
including NSF, ONR, DARPA,
EDA, and DCED, as well as
numerous companies,
ranging from startups to
multi-national corporations.
Timothy W. Simpson has
worked with over 30 different
companies to apply his
research methods to improve
their product lines and
product development
practices, and he helped
establish and manages
the Product Platforms Group
on LinkedIn.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Timothy Simpson is a professor of
mechanical and industrial engineering at
Pennsylvania State University. He holds
senior positions in technical design and in
the Faculty of Information Science and
Technology. His research areas include
product family design and platform-based
product development, multidisciplinary
design optimization, commercial space
exploration, and additive manufacturing.
He has published over 250 articles in
peer-reviewed journals and conference
proceedings. He is the senior editor of two
books, ‘Product Platform and Product
Family Design: Methods & Applications’
(2005) and ‘Advances in Product Family
and Product Platform Design: Methods &
Applications’ (2013).
Prof. Olivier de Weck Professor, Aeronautics and Astronautics
and Engineering Systems, MIT
Since 2001, his group has developed novel
quantitative methods and tools that
explicitly consider manufacturability,
flexibility, commonality, and sustainability, among
other characteristics. In his research, de
Weck emphasizes excellence, innovation,
and combining theory and practice.
“Technology is the deliberate creation and use of objects and
processes to solve specific problems”.
De Weck holds a degree in industrial engineering from ETH Zurich and an M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT
15
He earned his Ph.D. in aerospace systems from MIT.
Previously, he was an
engineering program
manager on the F/A18
aircraft program at McDonnell Douglas.
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Olivier De Weck is a leader in systems
engineering research. He focuses on how
complex man-made systems such as
aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, printers,
and critical infrastructures are designed
and how they evolve over time. In addition,
he studies strategic properties that have the
potential to maximize lifecycle value and
reduce programmed obsolescence. Course 1
Designing Product Families: From
Strategy to Implementatiof
L Fundamental Principles of Platform-Based
ManufacturingY
L The Advantages of Platforms and
Implementation StrategyY
L Product and Platform ArchitectureY
L Platform AnalysisY
L Platform DesignY
L Platform PlanningY
L Industrial Platforms and Bilateral MarketsY
L Two-sided Markets and Industrial
Platforms
Course 2
Digital Platforms: Designing Two-Sided
Markets from APIs to Feature
Roadmap´
L Logistics and OrientationY
L Industry Platforms: The BasicsY
L What Does a Successful Digital Ecosystem
Look Like?Y
L Initiation and First TransactionsY
L Architecture of Digital PlatformsY
L Growing the Platform: Ensuring Quality and
RobustnessY
L Growing the Platform: Users and PartnersY
L Platform DynamicsY
L Summary and Recap
Course 3
Designing High-Impact Solutions with
MITdesignã
L Introduction to the Program and the
MethodY
L Discover – Needs and Stakeholder
AnalysisY
L Define – Envisioning Change and Crafting
SolutionsY
L Commit – Value Creator and User
ExperienceY
L Crate – Prototyping a Solution and Design
a Business ModelY
L Develop – Organizational Design and Team
DynamicsY
L Deploy/Implement – Launch and Scale the
SolutionY
L Scaling – Beyond the Program
Course 4
Electiv
L Life Cycle Assessment: Quantifying
Environmental ImpactsY
L Innovation and TechnologyY
L Machine Learning: From Data to DecisionsY
L Leadership & Innovation
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16
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Program Outline
All the courses included in the Professional Certificate in Digital Transformation take
place in highly collaborative environments, fostered by discussion forums and group
activities. In this practical, results-driven program you will get a hands-on learning
experience based on the case method. Plus, you will acquire skills and tools that you can
immediately use to benefit your organization and your career. Participants will be guided
throughout all courses by expert facilitators who will be on hand to answer any questions
and respond to comments.
F
F
F
F
Practical activitiesJ
Self-assessmentJ
Review activitiesJ
Live online sessions: By professors and
industry experts who will teach real-life
applications and respond to
participants’ questions
17
F Additional resources: Videos and
recommended readingsJ
F Guided group forumsJ
F Case applications
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Methodology
and Assessment
The Impact Project is a cross-cutting
project that runs throughout the
Professional Certificate. It is group work,
which serves as a culminating academic
experience.
This project is designed for the student to
reflect on the topics covered throughout
the certificate, make a practical
application of such knowledge,
integrate, and connect the knowledge
acquired in each of the courses and
perform, together with their working
group, a presentation, and defense of
the proposed solution to the business
challenge posed
In addition to the above, the project has
several additional objectives such as
enhancing teamwork, verbal
communication skills, research skills,
planning and the ability to solve complex
problems.
Learning
Facilitators
The program will be supported by Learning
Facilitators. These senior consultants are
subject matter experts, with vast industry
experience. They will be available to answer
questions, to probe to generate deeper
discussion, and to facilitate a collaborative,
positive learning experience via discussion
forums and live video sessions.
18
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Impact
Project
Throughout the professional certificate, participants will be able to participate in 4
professional development webinars with subject matter specialists. Each of these
sessions, which will last 1h, will take place in the fourth week of each module,
distributed as follows:
Y Fourth week of the program in Designing Product Families: From Strategy to
Implementationc
Y Fourth week of the program in Digital Platforms: Designing Two-Sided Markets
from APIs to Feature Roadmapsc
Y Fourth week of the program in Designing High-Impact Solutions with
MITdesignXc
Y Fourth week of the program in Elective Program.
The topics to be covered in these sessions are as follows:
Session One
Personal Branding
Session Two
Communication Skills
Session Three
Negotiation skills
Session Four
Networking and the headhunter ecosystem
* Sessions may change depending on the availability of the
speaker and MIT Professional Education’s academic portfolio
19
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Professional Development Webinars
All participants who successfully complete
the Professional Certificate Program in
Product Management will receive an MIT
Professional Education Certificate of
Completion. In addition, they will also earn
25.6 Continuing Education Units (MIT
CEUs*).
In order to obtain MIT CEUs, participants
must complete a required MIT CEU
confirmation form. MIT CEUs are calculated
based on the number of learning
hours in each course.
The Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is defined as 10 contact hours of ongoing learning to indicate the
amount of time they have devoted to a non-credit/non-degree professional development program. To
understand whether or not these CEUs may be applied toward professional certification, licensing
requirements, or other required training or continuing education hours, please consult your training
department or licensing authority directly.
20
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Certificate of Completion
Welcome to
the gateway
to MIT knowledge and expertise for
professionals around the world.
Participants from
155 countries
More than 1,600
online activities
92% of Professional Alumni rated their experience as outstanding
MIT Professional Education
fosters the development of
innovative leaders
equipped to address
complex problems globally
MIT Professional Education provides
continuing education courses and lifelong
learning opportunities for science,
engineering, and technology professionals at
all levels, from around the world. Worthy of
note is that MIT professors and lecturers
lead and teach all MIT Professional
Education offerings. Some of our programs
have a long history. Others are relatively
new.
MIT Professional Education is central to
MIT’s vision. It fulfills the mandate to
connect practitioner-oriented education with
industry and incorporate industry feedback
and knowledge into MIT education and
research.
Our Digital Plus Programs go beyond
online, blending innovative content delivered
using the best of online technology and
traditional classroom instruction in a flexible,
collaborative learning environment.
The Institute is committed to generating,
disseminating, and preserving knowledge
while working with others to apply this
knowledge for the benefit of humankind.
Bhaskar Pant
Executive Director of MIT Professional Education
“MIT Professional Education's goal is to make
education accessible to everyone everywhere. We
welcome everyone who wants to advance in their
career or grow their business to unite and be part of
the MIT Professional Education all-inclusive
community.”
22
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
About MIT
Professional
Education
At MIT Professional Education, we are committed to accompanying organizations as they
aspire to provide their professionals with the ongoing education critical for success in
today’s competitive environment. That’s why we offer plans for companies who wish to
train their professionals with us.
Which program
best suits your
organization’s
needs?
1
2
3
Standard Program:
Teams or groups of at least 10 people will
obtain special conditions in their registration
for any of our programs.
Custom Programs:
Custom-made to meet the specific needs of
each organization and its professionals.
Private Cohorts:
Available in Open Enrollment courses with a
minimum of participants.
For more information on our Programs for Organizations,
please contact us at: professionalprograms@mit.edu
23
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Corporate
Courses
MIT Professional Education is
revolutionizing the digital learning
experience. In fact, we are no longer talking
about online-only, but rather an interactive
and collaborative learning experience that’s
digitally powered: a Beyond Online
experience.
You will have access to one of the most
innovative e-learning platforms that utilizes
the latest technology.You will also have an
opportunity to meet and work with some of
the world’s leading subject matter experts in
their respective fields.
With MIT Professional Education, you’ll have an opportunity to:
Æ Attend select live webinars
with MIT Instructors¾
Æ Collaborate and engage with
world-renowned MIT
Instructors¾
Æ Learn from expert learning
facilitators, guest speakers,
and subject matter experts
from industries¾
Æ Fulfill your reskilling and
upskilling needs in this fastchanging environment¾
Æ Master the technical and
human skills necessary for
effective leadership¾
Æ Meet and network with other
program participants from all
around the world.
Æ Weekly live webinars from
learning facilitators.
Clara Piloto
Director of Global Programs at MIT Professional Education
“MIT Professional Education’s programs tackle all the
technologies that are at the heart of the digital
transformation, enabling dedicated professionals to meet
new challenges in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and lead
change within theirorganizations.”
24
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
The Beyond Online
Methodology
MIT Professional Education offers a number of benefits for
participants who successfully complete our courses:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Certificate Award Ceremony at MIT’s
Campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts,
where participants will receive a physical
diploma
Two years’ access to the virtual campus
once the program is completed.
Unlimited news updates.
Unlimited access to webinars.
15 % discount for MIT Professional
Education online programs and short
duration in-person programs.
Exclusive announcements of new courses,
programs, and events through our virtual
Alumni Campus: Professional Network.
7
Invitation to the MIT Professional Education
Alumni LinkedIn group.
8
Networking opportunities with other MIT
Professional Education Alumni.
9
In addition to academic facilitator, you’ll be
assigned a coach.
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25
Professional Certificate Program: Product Management
Benefits of Joining the
Alumni Community
Are you ready
to lead your
organization
through the
complexities
of technology
implementation?
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information, please contact us:
USA: +1 617 982 1343
Europe: +34 660 558 464
Email: professionalprograms@mit.edu
Website: https://professionalprograms.mit.edu