Topic outline

  • Product management case study

    In addition to the seven weekly assignments, there is a longer case assignment that is done during the course and handed in at the last weeks of the course

    Case study of a product function

    The task is to examine and evaluate the product function in a self-chosen technology-based company. 

    In short: Find a company, figure out how product management is organised within the company, evaluate and argue whether this is a good way given its own goals, and write it up. Here's the detailed instructions. See below for an example on Supermetrics, from 2022 (provided here with a permission by the authors.)

    Case study is done in groups of 3, and with the following schedule

    • 11.9 Project specs: Team composition and initial thoughts about industry, type of company, and potentially the name of company
    • 18.9 Project agreement with the company: Scheduled meetings & data sources
    • 6.10 First deliverable: PM data through the survey (answers to the interview questions)
    • Tentative: 12.10 Short presentation / discussion on a course session 
    • 15.10 Finalised report

    Alternative project: Individual field study

    If you have specific interests or want to work on an independent schedule, you can do an individual study. The benefit in this alternative is the possibility to tailor the study to your needs. This could be e.g. a pre-study for a master's thesis or a job-related exploration related to oPM. It comes with lesser structuring and you need to take more proactive responsibility to make this work. Depending on your preference, this may an additional benefit or then it's a cost.

    The requirements for individual study are that it has to be 1) purposeful for some (tangible) personal goal (e.g. a pre-study for thesis), 2) based on data (if interviews, expectation is to do at least three of them), and based on / linked to relevant literature, and 3) interesting and informative to your fellow students in terms of product management. Length is  4-5 pages. 

    Schedule is the same as with the case study

    • 11.9 Topic and concept proposal (what it is that you plan to do)
    • 18.9 Initial structure and ideas of the content
    • 6.10 First complete draft
    • Tentative: 12.10 Short presentation / discussion on a course session
    • 15.10 Finalized report


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Part 1: Product management