FDPM1-DF75 Developing New Features
FDPM1-DF75 Developing New Features
- Course description
- Course codeFDPM1-DF75
- Level of study5.1
- Program of studyDigital Product Management
- Credits7.5
- Course coordinatorMichael John Phillip
This course teaches students essential skills and knowledge to drive innovation and growth within digital product offerings. The aim is to enhance students' ability to develop new features within a product's strategic goals. By developing their ability to create, validate, and promote new features that meet user needs and align with the organisation’s strategy, students build skills relevant for the industry.
The course teaches techniques for gathering user feedback and insights, to pinpoint new product opportunities. Students learn to identify gaps in a product that represent unmet user needs. Further on, students learn to apply ideation methods for new feature development, and how to prioritise and rank features based on strategy. The course teaches how to identify
assumptions underlying feature concepts and how to apply strategies for hypothesis testing and experimentation. Prototyping techniques to rapidly validate feature concepts is also taught, as well as how to conduct user testing and gather valuable insights for refinement. Further on, students learn to pitch feature ideas to gain support from stakeholders.
Students learn how to measure and analyse the impact of implemented features and make use of key metrics and methods for assessing feature success. They will develop strategies for promoting new features to a target audience, and explore the role of storytelling in conveying their value.
Lastly, students learn to master the art of connecting people to the product and the development process. Digital product managers know how to communicate their vision and garner buy-in from cross-functional teams. Students will explore strategies for engaging stakeholders and team members in the product development process, and develop their communication skills to convey development plans and opportunities. Throughout this course students gain insights into identifying where a product stands in its life cycle, and learn to adapt their approach to ensure long-term market retention of digital products.
The candidate:
- understands central principles for prioritising new features, based on strategic alignment with user needs and an organisation’s overall goals and objectives.
- has knowledge of how to identify assumptions and test hypotheses in new feature development.
- has knowledge of different prototyping and user testing techniques for new features.
- understands the process of scoping for development and managing in accordance with the project scope.
- has knowledge of strategies for promoting new product features.
- has knowledge of how to identify the current position of a product in its life-cycle, and map its potential retention and further development accordingly.
The candidate:
- can identify the current position of a product in its life-cycle and convey its significance accurately.
- can identify unserved user needs for new features.
- can navigate within the product life cycle and adapt strategies accordingly.
- can develop clear project scopes and manage the project accordingly, throughout the development phase.
- can apply techniques to align feature development with strategic objectives.
- can conduct user research to identify unserved user needs to be met by new features.
- can apply various ideation methods in new feature development.
- can develop and test hypotheses to validate feature concepts.
- can create prototypes and conduct user testing to refine features.
- can analyse data to estimate the expected impact of a new feature before implementation.
- masters the art of pitching feature ideas and engage stakeholders to gain their support.
The candidate:
- can develop and execute plans for new feature development.
- can build and lead cross-functional teams to implement new features.
- can build a culture of innovation within the team.
- can develop communication strategies to convey development plans and opportunities.
- can develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
- can build a portfolio of new feature development to ensure long-term market retention for the product.
In this course, the following teaching and learning methods can be applied, but are not limited to:
- Lecture: Educator-led presentations or activities providing knowledge, skills, or general competencies in the subject area.
- Group work: Collaborative activities where students work together to solve problems or complete tasks.
- Tutoring: One-on-one or small group sessions with an instructor for personalized guidance and support.
- Student presentations: Opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of course material by presenting to peers.
- Online lessons: Digital content delivered via an online learning platform.
- Guidance: Individualized advice and direction from instructors to support students in their learning journey.
- Workshops: Practical sessions focused on hands-on application of theoretical concepts or skills.
- Self-study: Independent study where students engage with course material on their own without any teacher support.
Teaching materials, reading lists, and essential resources will be shared in the learning platform and software user manuals where applicable.