How Good Is General Assembly Product Management Course?

Many reviews have it that the General Assembly product management course is one of the best product management courses that anyone can undertake. Be you an entry-level or professional product manager; you get to learn the rudiments of a product manager in a simplified yet practical manner when you take the course with the General Assembly. 

Key Takeaways

• If you are an entry-level product manager then the General Assembly Product Management Course will help you learn product management and how to execute it
• Once you complete the General Assembly Product Management Course, you will have a clear idea about how to reduce the product failure rate
• You will learn how to manage products in any organization irrespective of the region
• As a product manager, you must possess some skills like strategic thinking, communication, social skills, etc.

If you are an entry-level product manager, the knowledge you get becomes understandable, and you learn how to execute it. However, for professionals, what they learn from the General Assembly refreshes their already existing knowledge, and it is never out of place.

Now, you may be wondering, what is product management? First, allow us to tell you that product management is one of the fastest-rising courses globally today. Although not many schools offer courses in product management, people are beginning to see the essence of learning product management as the job is now in high demand.

What happens when a company launches a new product? First, of course, it has to be ‘managed.’ That is the idea behind product management. It refers to the organizational process undertaken during the lifecycle of a new product.

For example, a soap manufacturing company just released a new soap for men. It is the job of the product manager to nurture this soap, ensuring that it has an eternal life cycle. The goal is to roll out strategies that will boost the sale of the soap.

So, the product manager researches many things, including pricing. The product manager is in the best place to determine the best sealable price for the soap. The product manager also determines marketing strategies and much more.

Product management takes on a beautiful concept, but you can only enjoy it when you learn from the right platform.  Fortunately, the General Assembly presents itself as the best platform for this course.

When you go to the General Assembly, you get to choose between two options. First, there is the Online Product Management Course and the Product Management 101 (online) course. Yes, both courses seem alike, especially as you can take them online. But, there are also differences.

You have to pay for the Online Product Management Course, and you can choose to take it online or in person.  You should note from this course that the facilitators ensure not to leave any stone untouched. The course costs about $3000+ and also gives you access to some industry experts.

On the other hand, the Project Management 101 (Online) course is free. Therefore, you do not have to pay a dime to access this course, but it comes with a downside. Unfortunately, they only cover the basics when teaching this course, so you are not well-grounded in the knowledge of product management. Also, there is a limitation to this course as it offers only remote learning.

Below is a table highlighting the differences between the Online Product Management Course and the Project Management 101 (Online) course

Difference	Online Product Management Course	Project Management 101 (Online) Course
Fees	$3000+	Free
Learning type	Remote and in-person	Strictly remote
Structure	In-depth	Limited

Benefits Of Taking The General Assembly Product Management Course

It is one thing to invest in a course, and it is another thing to get your desired value.

Here are some of the benefits you enjoy from the General Assembly’s Product Management Course:

Reduces product failure rate: So, suppose you have always been dealing with products in your organization but always have a short lifespan. For example, your organization has stopped the production of the new soap it rolled out last year. Then, you need to take the General Assembly’s product management course. In this course, you get to learn how to expand the lifecycle of your products. The course takes you through rigorous training on product planning and longevity.  In no time, you will become a professional, and the products you manage become rivals with that of competitors. The difference between success and failure at this junction depends on you taking the General Assembly’s product management course.

Getting Universal Knowledge: The General Assembly understands that it gets students from across the globe, so they ensure that their training aspects cut across things in different regions. When you take their product management course, you learn how to manage products in any organization irrespective of the region. Suppose you have lived in Africa your whole life and do not understand how organizations in Europe handle their products. Well, that should no longer be a problem as the General Assembly equips you with the right knowledge that cuts across all continents. Now, you can apply to be a product manager for any organization you desire.

Expert Insight: Understandably, no man is an island. Therefore, you will always need guidance from professionals and seniors in the product management industry. Many times, people complain about how they cannot access these experts. But, these experts are brought to you if you decide to take the General Assembly’s product management course. The platform understands the need for students to communicate with and learn from professionals as it is more realistic. It is why they endure that their students get access to these experts. Generally, students remark that they learn a lot from these professionals, and it is an experience that they do not want to trade. Aside from their knowledge, they can also boast to people about how they have met and dialogues with these different experts.

Flexibility: Everything in life is susceptible to change, and you can also see it reflected in the teaching method of the General Assembly platform. Their goal is to ensure that they can admit anyone who wishes to study with them. Therefore, they offer a flexible study plan. You can choose to either study in person or go for the online option. Also, the duration is not fixed. When you register for the course, you get to see an array of options, and you can pick anyone that you desire based on your schedule. What matters is that they can impact you with knowledge at the end of the day.

Building Of Portfolio: As with some professionals, you will need a portfolio as a product manager. People need to see how many products you have successfully managed to leave a mark in the industry. Now, some people may ask how to build or grow their portfolio as entry-level product managers. It is where the General Assembly’s product management course comes to play. Here, you are given products to handle during classes, and you can add them to your portfolio. One can say that a person who takes this course has leverage over their colleagues. Yes, you might be an entry-level product manager, but you can boast of a portfolio and even compete with others.

Skills Needed By A Product Manager

As a product manager, there are some soft skills you need that will come in handy. They are:

Strategy Thinking: Handling a product deals with a lot of strategies It would be best if you were strategic in making certain decisions, else the product will flop or have a short life cycle. To guide your thinking, you must always think of the long-term effect. Before going ahead with anything, you need to be sure that it will pay off in the long run. In addition, it is best to keep in mind that your product is not the only one in the market as you also have competitors who are also striving hard. So, you not only need to think, but you need to think smart.

Communication: Yes, you need to have communication skills to excel as a product manager. It is a skill that cuts across different professions. When you have effective communication skills, you can send messages about the product growth across the entire necessary department. Now, the branding department will understand your aim and purpose, ensuring that they do not get the designs wrong. Sometimes, there is usually disagreement between the product managers and the graphics or branding department, and communication is the cause of the issue. It could be that one party did not effectively communicate their idea and thoughts to the other. So, you need to know how to communicate effectively.

Social Skills: As a product manager, you are the first marketer of your product. So, you need to have social skills as it enables you to mix and mingle. You need to be out there to get people talking about and buying your product. After all, if people are not talking about your product, it is non-existent to them. The way you mix and mingle could boost the sale of your product and lead to its longevity. 

FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions about the General Assembly’s Product Management Course

Conclusion

The General Assembly’s product management course offers you the flexibility to learn and have fun while at it. So, register and start learning now.

References:

1. https://theproductcompany.com/general-assembly-product-manager/
2. https://careerkarma.com/blog/general-assembly-product-management-course-review/

Last Updated on October 31, 2022 by Magalie D.