Professional bodies and Product Management

Doing background desk research for my final MSc project and I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole. It started with looking at the different industry bodies that look after computing fields. I have been a member of the British Computer Society (BCS) for a number of years, mainly because of their Project Management group and local branch meetings. But they are lagging a bit on modern development practices and roles, such as Product Management. Although they do have a Digital Product Management book coming out later this year!

This got me to looking at associations that specifically support product roles, and building a "body of knowledge" like the project management world has. I found quite a few out there, and some names I had seen in academic research started popping up. I also fell down a rabbit hole in terms of the difference between a certificate and certification!

I have joined a couple, and ordered copies of all of the "bodies of knowledge" books I can since my research touches on this. But in the meantime I leave you with this summary without judgement or further comment ... would be interested in hearing about dimensions you'd find interesting/useful though!


Association of Product Management 


The Association of International Product Marketing & Management (AIPMM)


International Software Product Management Association (ISPMA)


Product Development and Management Association (PDMA)


Blackdot

Website

https://www.a-pm.co.uk/

https://aipmm.com/

https://ispma.org/

https://www.pdma.org/

https://www.blackblot.com/

In their own words

We’re the professional body for product managers and we’re here to formalise the profession of product management with a qualification framework, a CPD structure and a career path to the top.

The Association of International Product Marketing and Management (AIPMM), founded in 1998, promotes worldwide excellence in product management education and provides value to its individual members, corporate members, strategic partners and sponsors by providing valuable content, training, education, certification and professional networking opportunities.

The International Software Product Management Association (ISPMA) is an open non-profit association of experts, companies, and research institutes with the goal to foster software product management excellence across industries.

The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) is a global community of professional members whose skills, expertise and experience power the most recognized and respected innovative companies in the world.

Blackblot is the developer of the PMTK® methodology and the premier provider of private training and expert services for market leaders and innovators worldwide.

Certification or certificate of competition? 

Certificate of competition

Certification 

Certification 

Certification 

Certification 

Body of Knowledge?

None

The Guide to the Product Management and Marketing Body of Knowledge: ProdBOK(R) Guide

Software Product Management: The ISPMA-Compliant Study Guide and Handbook

Product Development and Management Body of Knowledge: A Guidebook for Training and Certification, Second Edition (NB: free download to members)

The Product Manager's Toolkit®: Methodologies, Processes, and Tasks in Technology Product Management (Management for Professionals)

Training partner?

ProductFocus

280 Group

Various including Tolpagorni

Various

In house

Membership fee

Fellow: £100


Member: £80

Associate: £50


Student: £10


Premium: $225


Professional: $150


Basic: $125


Free

Premium: $195


Professional: $95


Basic: $35


Student: $30

n/a

Publications

None

None

None

Journal of Product Innovation Management (JPIM) - digital for all but basic members. Hard copy for Premium

n/a


As well as the above, there are the following training providers that also provide material for Product Managers:

The 2021 Product Management survey is running until 1st March 2021. If you are a Software Product Manager - or you look after the software roadmap in your software organisation. Then I need YOUR help in completing a survey for my MSc project. It should take no more than 5-10 mins of your time, full results will be freely available. Complete the survey here 

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