The Software Product and Project Management module at the University of St Andrews introduces postgraduate students to entrepreneurial thinking within the technology sector. Delivered as part of an MSc programme, the module engages around 42 students in team-based activities where they develop and pitch software product strategies. Through iterative design, market analysis and stakeholder communication, students learn to recognise opportunities and translate technical ideas into viable product concepts.
Context and Rationale
The technology sector increasingly requires professionals who can combine technical expertise with strategic thinking and market awareness. Product managers and software innovators must identify opportunities, manage uncertainty and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
The module was introduced to help postgraduate students develop these capabilities while strengthening their employability within the digital economy. Drawing on the International Software Product Management (ISPMA) framework, the course blends academic theory with applied tasks that reflect real-world product development processes.
By encouraging students to think as “intrapreneurs”, the module prepares learners to innovate within organisations, recognise market opportunities and develop technology solutions that address real user needs.
The Learning Activity
The module combines theoretical learning with practical project work that mirrors the challenges faced in real software product development.
Students work in teams throughout the course to design and develop a software product strategy. Learning activities are built around a fictional but realistic case study that provides a narrative context for lectures, tutorials and group work.
One key assessment requires students to develop a high-level business plan for a proposed event management software system. The task challenges students to identify target customer groups, analyse user needs and design solutions that address specific market problems.
In a second stage of the assessment, students revisit and refine their plans based on feedback received from peers and instructors. This iterative process encourages students to evaluate their assumptions, respond constructively to critique and improve their solutions.
Collaboration is supported through digital tools such as a shared Miro board, where students post product ideas, review proposals and engage in class-wide discussion.
The module culminates in a formal pitch, where teams present their product strategy to a panel composed of industry guests and academic staff. This experience allows students to practise professional communication and receive feedback from practitioners working in the technology sector.
Skills and Capabilities Developed
The module develops a range of entrepreneurial skills relevant to careers in technology and digital innovation.
Students strengthen opportunity recognition by identifying user problems and designing software solutions that respond to real market needs. Team-based project work encourages creative ideation and collaborative problem-solving, while iterative assessments build resilience and adaptability as students refine their ideas in response to feedback.
The development of product strategies also builds commercial awareness, helping learners understand how technical ideas translate into viable products and services. Presenting proposals to industry and academic panels strengthens communication and stakeholder engagement skills, preparing students to explain complex concepts to diverse audiences.
Together, these experiences help students develop the mindset required to act as innovators and intrapreneurs within technology-driven organisations.
Impact and Outcomes
Student feedback suggests the module has had a strong positive impact on confidence, career awareness and professional skills development.
Survey responses indicate that many students feel better prepared for roles in product management and related technology careers. In one survey, nine out of eleven respondents reported that the module influenced their career direction, with several considering product management pathways after completing the course.
Students also highlighted the value of detailed feedback and the opportunity to develop work that reflects real industry practice. For many learners, the module helped clarify their professional direction while strengthening their ability to tackle complex, multidisciplinary challenges in the technology sector.
Student Feedback
“This module has delivered career-defining outcomes by linking technical competencies, analytical reasoning and professional communication in ways I did not believe possible within conventional academic constraints.”
Further Information
CS5034: Software Product and Project Management
University of St Andrews – School of Computer Science Student Handbook