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Program Overview

Currently accepting applications Apply now >> Next program starts: Autumn 2008 Program location: Bellevue Sign up to receive e-mail updates >> Contact a program representative >>   Program at a glance >>

This nine-month certificate program focuses on the business, technical and management processes for driving successful software products and software as a service. The program's curriculum covers the full software product spectrum, from concept to profit, including all of the basic life cycle processes of software market analysis and product planning, product development and launch, and marketing, sales and support. High-volume packaged software, vertical application software and web-based business delivery of software as a service are examined. The program includes both software-specific disciplines and requisite core skills, such as documentation, presentation and project management.

The function of software product management includes job titles and responsibilities of positions commonly called software product manager and/or software program manager.

In large software companies, the overall product management function is often broken out into several roles, including an inward-focused product planning and engineering guidance role, an outward-focused marketing and business management role, and several more specific day-to-day project management roles. In smaller software companies, responsibilities of product, program and project management are often combined into a single product manager role.

This program encompasses all of the above job skills and responsibilities because effective software product management requires an integrated multi-level understanding of big-picture strategy and planning, effective business processes, and the realities of technical and operational details.

Program Audience

• Software product managers who wish to improve their business and management skills and become more competent and competitive within their company and the industry.
• Marketing and sales professionals and managers who have at least three years of marketing, sales or business experience in the software field, and wish to better understand the full scope of the software product life cycle. These individuals acquire the technical knowledge they need to work comfortably with software planning, development and support teams.
• Software development and support professionals and managers who have at least three years of experience in the software field, and wish to better understand the full scope of the software product life cycle. Program participants acquire sufficient marketing and business knowledge to work comfortably with software sales, marketing and business management teams.
• Software professionals who wish to broaden their range of software-related skills to prepare for broader management responsibility in a software-based business.

Program Benefits

Courses cover the software product business model from concept to profit, including all the major elements of the investment-driven processes of software product strategy, planning, development and launch, as well as the revenue and margin-driven processes of marketing, sales and support.

Participants develop product, development, support, and marketing and sales plans. They discuss case studies, make presentations, and complete both class and homework assignments. Participants also acquire tools and concepts to help them become more competitive and effective, and improve their on-the-job performance.

Courses have been developed and approved by the UW Computer Science & Engineering Department, one of the top 10 computer science programs in the country. The program has also been reviewed and approved by the UW Department of Technical Communication and the UW College of Engineering.

What Participants Learn

Participants in this certificate program learn product management skills by building their own case studies throughout the program. They write business plan segments for each major function, including market planning and competitive analysis, and project plans for each major activity, author sample product specifications and develop product launch plans.

Contact a Program Representative

If you have questions about this program, please call 206-685-8936 in the greater Seattle area, or 888-469-6499, or e-mail us.

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