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The Power of Transformation: How AUTODOC Product Academy is Redefining Professional Development

AUTODOC Product Academy is transforming professional development by equipping teams with the skills needed to thrive in product management roles through tailored learning programs and practical workshops.

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In March 2023, AUTODOC embarked on a significant transformation journey to manage its rapid growth and address evolving industry needs. As part of this evolution, many of our professionals, previously marketers, product owners, business analysts, and scrum masters, transitioned into product management roles. The shift toward a product-oriented mindset posed a challenge – our teams needed to quickly acquire the competencies required to thrive in their new roles.

To guide our teams through this transition, we introduced AUTODOC Product Academy – an innovative learning hub designed to help our employees grow their expertise and enrich their skill sets by offering a broad range of customised learning programmes, tools, and coaching.

The Launch Story

In January 2024, we took our first step with a PoC and conducted our first workshop on Agile Project Management tailored for non-IT specialists. The workshop was a resounding success, receiving positive feedback from our teams and confirming that our initiative was on the right track, which solidified the foundation of AUTODOC Product Academy.

After reflecting on the experience and outcomes, we established the Academy’s mission, vision, values, and products. Shortly after, we introduced our first product: a comprehensive learning path for product managers.

This 92-hour programme, encompassing theoretical training supplemented with practical application, aims to lead career changers and new hires through every stage of product management, up to senior roles.

Product Academy in Action

Based on feedback and requests from our product managers, we expanded our offering and developed an array of workshops designed to meet a variety of specific needs:

Agile Practices Learning: Transforming the project approach using Agile concepts, tools such as Jira and Kanban, and effective communication practices.
Discovery Workshop: Mastering product visioning, brainstorming, and prioritisation techniques to streamline the product discovery process.
Dependency Management Workshop: Focusing on communication, problem-solving, and tools for managing dependencies effectively.
A/B Testing Workshop: Exploring the process of A/B testing, from hypothesis generation to result analysis, helping teams make data-driven decisions.
Briefing: Customer Profile Creation & Segmentation: Evaluating user problems, refining value hypotheses, analysing funnel metrics, and validating business opportunities.
Journey Mapping: Creation & Strategy: Visualizing customer journeys and aligning strategies to enhance user experiences through journey phases and mapping.
Setting up a project in Jira: Scrum Board or Kanban?: Examining Scrum and Kanban methodologies, creation of Jira boards, and setup of project management workflows.
Ceremonies: Refinement (Grooming): Conducting backlog grooming sessions, understanding refinement types, and running mock sessions to prioritise tasks.

These workshops ensure that our product managers are equipped with the essential tools they need to succeed, making the transition to becoming competent product managers smoother and more accessible. As we continue to expand Product Academy, we are excited about the upcoming workshops and learning paths that will further empower our teams.

Academy's Mission and Goals

AUTODOC Product Academy was established to address knowledge gaps and overcome potential challenges employees may face when transitioning to product roles. Its primary aim is to provide a solid training foundation, ensuring employees are prepared to take on their new responsibilities effectively.

The major tasks the Academy places focus on are:

Identifying organisational needs and opportunities, conducting an in-depth analysis of current skill gaps, and clearly defining the learning outcomes for each competence level.
Designing customised learning programmes that align with identified gaps and maintain strong relevance to the target audience.
Creating courses, workshops, tools, and learning materials specifically adjusted to the unique needs of product organisations for building the required skills step-by-step.
Providing expert facilitation and coaching with dedicated support throughout the training, contributing to a conducive learning environment.

Fostering a Transformation Mindset

A crucial aspect of AUTODOC Product Academy is nurturing a transformation mindset. This entails helping employees align their way of thinking with the new goals and methods based on progressive product-focused approaches while embracing adaptability and continuous learning. By encouraging flexible, creative thinking alongside a proactive attitude toward professional development and change, we strive to foster a culture that not only welcomes innovation but excels in a dynamic business environment.

Practical Implementation of Knowledge

Product Academy isn’t just about learning – it focuses on the application of the acquired knowledge. We believe in pairing theoretical knowledge with real-world implementation, enabling our teams to bring actual cases to the table and leave with actionable solutions and tools to tackle challenges. This hands-on approach ensures that the skills gained are relevant, effective, and can be immediately applied, which is not only beneficial for individual employees but also positively impacts the overall performance of their teams and results in tangible outcomes for our organisation as a whole.

Mentorship and Continuous Improvement

The mentorship programme plays an integral role in the Academy, where our experts and seasoned product managers provide guidance, share expertise, and help new PMs build confidence. This ongoing support ensures that our teams grow in their capabilities and develop a clear vision of their roles within the company.

Achievements and Measurable Impact

Since its introduction, Product Academy has seen numerous successes. The knowledge acquired through training contributes to key metrics across product, business, and other areas.

Employees who have participated in the training programmes rate the educational materials and activities as highly practical, reporting noticeable improvements in their skills and performing of daily tasks. For example, those who have taken part in the Agile Practices Learning workshop have successfully integrated Agile methods into their teams, leading to better collaboration and efficiency. Meanwhile, participants of the Product Management Learning Path have developed stronger strategic thinking and are more adept at managing products from ideation to market launch.

Sharing Our Experience

AUTODOC Product Academy is a pivotal initiative within the company’s product transformation, helping employees transition into product management roles while unlocking new opportunities. With structured, immersive training and ongoing mentorship, we’re creating a pathway to empower our teams and strengthen our organisation’s success.

10/15/2024, Articles