Digital Product Development for Sustaina

In April 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that global efforts are unlikely to reduce carbon emissions in line with COP21 targets of 1.5o C above preindustrial levels.  This finding underscores the urgency around decarbonizing the economy and sustainably managing natural resources.  A so-called “big, hairy, audacious goal,” it requires that similarly ambitious solutions be implemented across countries and industries.

It is only by measuring resources that stakeholders can manage them and ensure that they are available in sufficient quantities for future generations. Web tools provide up-to-date analyses of aggregated data; distill complex issues into accessible visualizations; enable users to drill down to answer questions; offer insights into complicated and interdependent issues; and display changes in performance over time.  For example, Sustainable 1/S&P Global’s ESG Scores are valuable because they expose patterns in data related to environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities.

This elective course will introduce students to the digital product management role in the context of sustainability.  Students will get a strong understanding of what it means to be a product manager and its role in the organization.  The course will demonstrate how to define a product vision; identify a product strategy; create product roadmaps; design a customer experience; enable data-driven decisions; understand the development process; manage for results; and, by “leading through influence,” coordinate cross-functional teams of business analysts, developers, data providers, marketing, users, customers, senior management and other stakeholders.  The course is about product strategy and how to innovate and launch new products and features.  Students will be prepared for product management roles in companies; though many of those skills are applicable to entrepreneurship, the course is not geared toward start-ups or new ventures.