If you are a project manager, a product manager, or invovled in innovation, you should be interested in the NPDP certification.
The New Product Development Professional (NPDP) Certification from the Product Development and Management Association (an international professional association) equips you with foundation knowledge for creating and managing new products. After becoming a PMP (certified project management professional), I found I needed a cross-functional view of product development and this led me to PDMA and the NPDP.
Many organizations find that learning the NPDP body of knowledge creates a common foundation of understanding and language for teams involved in project and product management. This body of knowledge covers 6 key areas:
- Business and Product Strategy
- Product Development Process
- Portfolio Management
- Leading, Managing, and Working with Teams and People
- Project and Product Tools and Metrics
- Market and Customer Research
Even if you or your group is not interested in earning the NPDP certification, learning the body of knowledge is very valuable — it has been for me. Further, as an NPDP, the certification and your business experience is an important differentiation for your career advancement.
The primary responsibilities for an organization are product management and innovation. They deliver value to customers. They're also exciting responsibilities for those properly equipped. That is my job - equipping product managers and innovators. 