Deep Dive into BrainStation’s Product Leadership Course

Product leadership has quickly become a sought-after skill in today’s tech-savvy workforce. We caught up with Jason Field, BrainStation’s Founder and CEO to hear more about BrainStation’s part-time Product Leadership professional certificate course, what learners can expect from the curriculum, and how it imbues students to stay curious and continue learning. Jason breaks down how to get the most out of the Product Leadership course, and the best resources to stay engaged with today’s top product leaders.  

What you need to know:

• Expect to commit to three hours per week for 8 weeks.
• The curriculum will cover how to develop product roadmaps, use Agile processes, leverage stakeholder partnerships, and unlock organizational creativity with design thinking. Students will also learn about key developments in AI, machine and deep learning.
• There is no application for certificate courses – just complete the online form and a BrainStation rep will be in touch!

What inspired BrainStation to create the Product Leadership course? 

Over the last few years, it’s become increasingly clear that strong product leadership is a driving force behind how modern businesses are adapting to changes in the market and standing out from the competition. Underscoring this is the development and implementation of numerous disruptive technologies and digital business models that can really drive innovation – provided professionals and organizations understand their potential and how to best implement them. 

One of the goals of the courses is to equip professionals of all levels with the knowledge to interpret and apply these new technologies, which will allow them to assume leadership roles in their organizations and lead cross-functional teams.

What does product leadership look like on the job? And what is the importance of product leadership in 2022 in particular?

Product leadership means being able to decipher what’s really valuable and scalable, and then both leading and enabling adoption and innovation through things like Agile principles and design thinking, among other approaches. The last few years really highlighted the importance product strategy and innovation, and being able to understand the needs of your users and then shift quickly to meet those needs – we saw entire industries, for example, shift to digital-first approaches and channels during the pandemic. The brands that best handled those shifts were those that had leaders who were not only ready to make necessary changes, but who also understood where the changes needed to be made.  

Professionals looking to take on a leadership role need to understand the ways in which technology is changing, especially when it comes to some of the more buzzword-y disruptive technologies. They need to know what these technologies are, how they work, and if and how they can be used to create value for their users and organization. 

Is there an ideal candidate for this course? 

The response to the Product Leadership course has been overwhelming so far, and what we’ve seen from the students that have enrolled is that it tends to appeal to ambitious, forward-thinking professionals. Students in the course tend to be professionals who have seen changes in the way we work and the way organizations are adapting to market demands and who want to be leaders in that new landscape. 

What’s exciting to see, though, is that it’s not just professionals from tech organizations who have enrolled in the course. In fact, we built this course in a way that professionals from all industries would benefit. As I mentioned earlier, entire industries are in the process of developing and implementing digital products and processes, which makes it imperative for professionals of all levels to understand what new and emerging technologies exist and how they can be leveraged. To help professionals develop that knowledge base, the course covers a lot of ground, including key developments in AI, machine and deep learning, as well as a number of digital business models used by some of the largest organizations in the world. 

Does an employee need to be high up in an organization in order to be a leader?

Absolutely not. With the right digital skills and training, employees at all levels can take on leadership roles within their teams and organizations, and ultimately have a major impact on the way their companies operate.

What does the Product Leadership curriculum cover? 

The curriculum helps professionals understand key product leadership pillars, the disruptive technologies powering the digital economy, and the digital business models used by the most innovative companies.  

By the end of the Product Leadership course, students will know how to develop strategic, efficient product roadmaps, use Agile processes to lead high-performance product teams, leverage stakeholder partnerships, and unlock organizational creativity with design thinking. 

Who are the instructors for this course?

At BrainStation, our courses and bootcamps are led by industry experts from top digital-first brands as AirBnB, Google, and Spotify, among many others. Our extensive interviewing process ensures that our Instructors are not only experienced leaders in the industry, but also deeply dedicated to providing a supportive and enriching educational experience. 

For our readers who are beginners, which online resources do you recommend for aspiring product leaders?

Being a product leader means staying informed with tech news. What new disruptive technologies are emerging and having an impact? Which companies are doing interesting things on the digital transformation front, and why? Exploring and analyzing these trends is a great starting point for additional learning. 

BrainStation also regularly hosts thought leadership panels that bring together brilliant minds to discuss trends and transformations within their fields. These events — held regularly both online and in-person at our campuses around the world — were created with beginners in mind, allowing them to understand what career opportunities currently exist in tech, and how BrainStation can help them get there. 

Find out more and read BrainStation reviews on Course Report. This article was produced by the Course Report team in partnership with BrainStation.