MBA Course Outline
T1☐ T2☐ T3☐
Year 2023-24 Academic Term
T4 ☑ T5☐T6 ☐
Functional Areas Marketing Core ☐ Elective ☑
Title Product Management Abbreviation PM
Course Coordinator Prof. Ramesh Roshan Das (Sec – A) Teaching Members
Prof. Nanda Choudhury (Sec – B)
Course Revision Record
Version Version Date Recommendation
Credits 1.5 Contact 15 Learning Office 9.30am-
Hours Hours Hours 6.00pm
Contact Details Prof. Ramesh Roshan Das (Sec – A) / Prof. Nanda Choudhury (Sec – B)
Course eMail [email protected] (Sec – A) / [email protected] (Sec – B)
Course Descriptor
Course Overview Product Management is a critical component of any successful business, and it requires
(200 words) a unique combination of technical, analytical, and creative skills. This course is
designed to introduce MBA students to the fundamentals of product management.
In 10 sessions, students will learn about the role of a product manager, the product
development process, and how to bring a product to market. The course will cover
topics such as market research, product strategy, and go-to-market planning. This
course will introduce students to the basic concepts of product management and provide
them with the foundational knowledge to develop and manage successful products.
By the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the key concepts
and skills required to succeed in a product management role and would be ready to
explore advanced topics.
(Concepts learned in this class are relevant for all organization types (public or private,
large or small, etc.)
Prerequisites/ Marketing Management, Observation skills, Patience combined with the interest to
Co-requisites explore and learn
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MBA Course Outline
Learning The overall goal of this course is to analyze the product management decisions that
Objectives must be made to build, measure and manage a successful product.
By the end of this course students will be able to:
i) Understand the fundamentals of product management and the role it plays
in an organization.
ii) Develop a product strategy that aligns with the company's goals and
objectives.
iii) Conduct market research to identify customer needs and preferences.
iv) Price and position products effectively.
v) Develop a successful product launch plan.
The skills acquired in this class are fundamental in case you want to pursue a career in
product management and helpful in many other areas including consulting and
advertising.
*PLO 2a: Our students will learn to analyze situations critically, identify the problem,
distinguish alternative solutions and evaluate and decide on appropriate solutions.
Teaching Methods Class discussions; Case Studies; Videos; Reading materials; Research discussion;
Group work
For Internal Use Only
Session Plan
Session No Topic
1 Introduction to Product Management
• Definition and role of product management in a business
• Key skills and responsibilities of a product manager
• Overview of the product development process
2 Understanding the Customer
• Understanding customer needs and preferences
• Conducting market research and competitive analysis
• Identifying target markets and segments
3 Product Strategy
• Developing a product vision and roadmap
• Aligning with company goals and objectives
• Creating a product plan and defining product features
4 Product Development Process I
• Generating and evaluating product ideas
• Creating user personas and scenario
• Creating a product plan and defining product features
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MBA Course Outline
5 Product Development Process II
• Conducting usability testing and user acceptance testing
• Gathering and analyzing feedback
• Iterating and improving product designs
6 Product Launch and Commercialization
• Creating a product launch plan
• Developing product messaging and positioning
• Leveraging marketing and sales channels
• Pricing strategies and tactics
7 Product Lifecycle Management
• Understanding the different stages of a product lifecycle
• Developing strategies to extend product lifecycles
• Managing end-of-life and product retirement
8 Measuring Success and Iterating
• Key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Analyzing data and feedback
• Measuring launch success
• Scaling for growth
9 Collaboration and Communication in Product Management
• Building cross-functional teams
• Communicating effectively with stakeholders
• Managing conflicts and challenges
10 Advanced Topics in Product Management and Course Recap
• Understanding emerging trends and technologies
• Developing innovative product strategies
• Preparing for the future of product management
• Final thoughts & Recap
Textbooks Product Management For Dummies. by Brian Lawley, Pamela Schure.
Released January 2017. Publisher(s): For Dummies. ISBN: 9781119264026
Other Reference The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
Books and Materials
Refer to Institutional policies to procure materials
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MBA Course Outline
Cases and Readings: Students are instructed/expected to read these casy studies/scholarly works
before the scheduled sessions for a healthy classroom discussions.
Session 2:
How Superhuman Built an Engine to Find Product Market Fit
https://review.firstround.com/how-superhuman-built-an-engine-to-find-product-market-fit
How we made the Dyson vacuum cleaner
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/may/24/interview-james-dyson-vacuum-cleaner
Session 4:
How Tesla Motors is Changing Product Development & Consumer Expectations
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-tesla-motors-changing-product-development-consumer-
eric-boersma/
Lessons from Tesla’s Approach to Innovation
https://hbr.org/2020/02/lessons-from-teslas-approach-to-innovation
Session 5:
Brem, A., & Freitag, F. (2019). Internationalization of new product development
and research & development: Results from a multiple case studies
https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/107980873/IJIM_Br_Fr.pdf
Session 6:
Case Study: Simple Energy: Launch Strategy for the Next Generation E-Scooter
Product #: W25541-PDF-ENG
Session 7:
Ewa Więcek-Janka et al (2017).Apple products: A discussion of the product life
cycle
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319199871_Apple_Products_A_Discussion_of_the_
Product_Life_Cycle
Apple Lifecycle Management
https://www.apple.com/ie/business/docs/resources/Apple_Lifecycle_Management.pdf
Session 8:
Defining product success metrics and goals
https://articles.sequoiacap.com/defining-product-success-metrics-and-goals
Selecting the Right User Metric
https://medium.com/sequoia-capital/selecting-the-right-user-metric-de95015aa38
Session 9:
The future is collaborative: How communication platforms are shaping the way
that we work
https://slack.com/intl/en-in/blog/transformation/future-collaborative-communication-platforms-
shaping-way-we-work
Refer to Institutional policies to procure materials
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MBA Course Outline
Evaluation Components Marks PLO Assessed
End-Trimester Exam 40 PLO 2a Embedded question
Class Participation 15
Quiz 15
Group Assignment 30
Total 100
Course Expectations * Attend all classes and participate actively in discussions and activities
from the students * Complete all assignments and projects on time
* Engage in collaborative learning and teamwork
Refer academic policies and procedures handbook
Academic Standard and § Kindly don’t employ malpractices for any of the exams or group works
Honesty § Make sure group members contribute properly to the assigned group tasks
Course instructor has a very strict policy on ethical malpractices.
Anyone misusing the freedom and following any kind of malpractice will face an F in the
course sans any discussion!
(Any act involving malpractice even for 1% of the course grade will be considered the
same as malpractice done for 100%)
Refer Program Specific manuals
Other Relevant Group Work:
Information Group formation needs to be done and informed (to me) by the end of the second
week of class.
8(min)-10(max) members per group.
(If possible, ensure the group is diverse in terms of gender, and region)
Throughout this course, students will be exposed to various topics in product
management and will learn about different strategies and techniques used by
successful product managers. To apply these learnings in a practical setting, I have
included a project work component in this course.
For the project work, students are expected to form groups of 8-10 students
and will be tasked with conducting a comparative analysis of two products and/or
planning the launch of a new product and/or suggesting improvements in the
product development process. They will apply the concepts and techniques learned
in class to their chosen products and develop a comprehensive analysis that
addresses specific product-related issues.
The project work will provide students with an opportunity to practice
teamwork, research, and self-learning skills. The final deliverable will be a report,
which will be assessed according to the level of analysis, quality of research, and
originality of the ideas presented. Further details on the project work and grading
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criteria will be provided in class.
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MBA Course Outline
Grading Grading of the group work and presentation:
* Team Composition and Product Selection: I need to be informed about the team
composition and the selection of products and firms by the end of the 2nd week.
* Comprehensiveness and Depth of Analysis: The analysis should cover all the
aspects systematically described during the class, incorporating all the relevant
concepts, frameworks, and techniques. A comprehensive and detailed analysis will
be awarded higher marks.
* Managerial Insights: The report should contain meaningful managerial insights,
with practical recommendations and actionable next steps.
* Presentation: The presentation will be evaluated based on its structure, content,
and engagement. A clear and concise presentation, with a focus on key insights,
will be awarded higher marks.
* Peer Evaluation: Each group member will evaluate the effort and contributions
of other group members anonymously. The peer evaluation score will be taken into
account when determining the individual marks for the project. Any group strategy
in peer evaluation would mean deduction for every member.
Grading of class participation:
* Attendance in classes is essential for your class participation grades.
* Your participation grade will depend on your contribution to the learning of your
peers through active participation in both class and offline forum discussions.
* Your class participation will be judged based on the quality of your comments
and how well you listen and respond to others.
* Class discussions and participation aim to encourage the exchange of ideas with
an open and accepting mindset.
* I encourage you to challenge and question what I or any of your peers say in a
respectful, professional, and constructive way.
* However, keep in mind that due to the limited class hours, not everyone will have
the opportunity to contribute to the discussion all the time. I will take the final call
on asking questions from individuals who have not yet spoken up.
* If you miss speaking up in the online class, you are welcome to make a note of
your answers and present them in Google classroom.
Grading of quizzes:
§ Two spontaneous* online quizzes will be part of your class participation grades
§ These quizzes will be short, strictly timed, and will cover the topics covered till the class
when it is announced
§ Quiz questions will be mostly objective and may include some open-end fill in short 1-2
sentence kinds of questions
* “Spontaneous” would mean students will be informed about the quiz during
the class
Under no circumstances the quizzes will be rescheduled/allowed for a retake
Refer Program Specific manuals
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MBA Course Outline
For Internal Use Only
Details Session Plan (Optional)
Session Date Topics Readings and Cases Assignments Due
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