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In-Person

Optimal Product Management

Optimal Product Management, delivered in person over three intensive days. Being in the room means live coaching in real time and the kind of peer discussion that doesn't happen over video, without the pull of your regular inbox.

Enrollment includes the Productside Blueprint and Playbook, plus your AIPMM Certified Product Manager exam.

Dates

August 18—20, 2026 | Tue, Wed, Thu

Venue

Chicago, IL | Mag Mile, 243 East Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611 | Aloft Chicago

Class Size

20 seats maximum. Small by design.

TUITION

Original price was: $3,800.00.Current price is: $3,420.00.

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Your Instructor

Dean Peters

Dean Peters, a visionary product leader and Agile mentor, blends AI expertise with storytelling to turn complex tech into clear, actionable product strategy.
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Team writing notes

About the Course

In addition to your participation in our small class led by an expert instructor for a total of 3 days of instruction, exercises, and team collaboration, you will also receive: The Productside Product Blueprint A copy of our Product Management framework, which guides product managers to become more outcome driven and make better decisions. The Productside Product Playbook  A powerful resource to propel you toward exceptional outcomes! Within these pages, you’ll discover a collection of over twenty invaluable guides, examples, and templates meticulously curated to inspire and empower your best product management work. Whether you’re a product leader, a seasoned professional, or just starting out, this Playbook is your trusted companion, providing practical tools and expert insights to navigate your products’ lifecycle. AIPMM Certified Product Manager Exam
  • Comprehensive study guide to help you prepare and confirm your knowledge
  • A practice exam with unlimited attempts
  • Includes two opportunities to take the Certified Product Manager online exam
Digital certificate of course completion

What you walk out with

This is not a survey of product theory. Every session ends in a deliverable you can take back to your team, and the whole course is graded against one question: can you now defend a product decision in front of your executives?

1

A customer–led operating rhythm

Run discovery, sizing, and prioritization on evidence instead of the loudest voice in the room.
2

Stakeholder leverage

Align engineering, sales, and the exec team on the same outcome, and say no without losing the room.
3

Credentials hiring managers know

AIPMM® Certified Product Manager, a shareable badge, and 85% of alumni report a raise, promotion, or new role within a year.

What tuition includes

Four things travel home with you. The Blueprint is your process; the Playbook is the toolset that runs it.

Product Management Blueprint

The Productside Blueprint™

The six–stage lifecycle that keeps every decision tied to a customer problem and a business result.
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The Productside Playbook

23 templates covering every stage of the lifecycle, with instructions and worked examples.
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Certified Product Manager Badge

AIPMM® Certified Product Manager exam

A one–year study guide, unlimited practice attempts, and two sittings of the online exam.
Learn More

Certificate and LinkedIn badge

Digital certificate of course completion, shareable credential badge for your profile, and 21 PDUs toward AIPMM® re-certification.
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What to Expect

Daily Schedule

 

8:30 AM – Start of the day

10:00 AM – Morning Break (10 minutes)

11:30 AM – Lunch Break

12:30 PM – Resume Work (Afternoon Session)

2:00 PM – Afternoon Break 1 (10 minutes)

3:30 PM – Afternoon Break 2 (10 minutes)

5:00 – 5:30 PM – End of Day

Venue Details

Chicago, IL | Mag Mile, 243 East Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611 | Aloft Chicago

Parking will be validated daily.

Entrance to the parking garage is on North Street. Park anywhere that is not a Reserved parking space.

The Victory Room conference room is located on the first floor, off the lobby from the East Entrance. Follow the path from the parking garage.

Water, coffee, and light snacks will be provided daily.

Lunch will be on your own during the 1-hour daily lunch break with dining options within walking distance.

Theory doesn’t get you promoted. Outcomes do.

Reported by certified alumni within 12 months.

22%

get a raise in their first year.

13%

land their first PM role post-certification.

31%

of certified PMs are promoted within 12 months.

Hear from Our Graduates

Graduates report real movement (promotions and salary lift) because they can show cause-and-effect from backlog to bottom line. Better decisions, faster trust, clearer impact.

Kimberly Johnson

Product Manager at The Home Depot

“I enjoyed the continuous learning and feedback. Being in a small group allowed us to be more interactive. This was the best business class I’ve had in a long time.”

Chris Barylski

Product Manager at Otava

“I would absolutely recommend that anyone either thinking about moving into the product management field or new to product management, take a look at Productside and the Optimal Product Management course.”

Eric Haar

Transition Specialist at CreativeOne

“The best part of training were the trainer’s stories, which really helped frame the content, and the group breakouts, which really helped solidify the concepts in a concrete way.”

Danielle Chapleau

Product Supply Manager at Card Kingdom

“I got everything I needed out of the class. I feel ready and prepared to take on my role with more context into how I should be approaching new and retiring products.”

Patrick Perl

Customer Experience Leadership at H&R Block

“The course highlighted that AI products should be focused on solving a problem, not just reducing expenses.”​

Jennifer Temple

Sr. Pricing Product Manager at RingCentral

“I got way more out of this class than I was expecting in how to apply Agile principles in my day job and communicate more effectively with stakeholders.”

Alexander Rojinski

Product Manager at Transplant Connect

"Taking the course was like completing a mini-MBA but focused entirely on Product Management and the Product Lifecycle."

Chris Frandsen

CEO at AIPMM

“The Optimal Product Management course is well-structured and easy to navigate, making it perfect for busy professionals. I could easily fit in a module during lunch or a short break.”

Krasimir Dimitrov

PO/PM/Senior BA at Astea

“The launch readiness content is extremely relevant and valuable, providing techniques that can be directly applied to real-world scenarios.”

Nicole Torrillo

UCaaS Product Manager at Northland Communications

“I really like the resource templates provided. They explain the steps well, and the problem statement template makes defining the problem easier!”

Mike Freier

Principal and Lead Consultant Principal and Lead Consultant at Product Management Consulting Group Inc.

“The AI course gave me hands-on experience with advanced prompting and buyer personas, which I can directly apply in my day-to-day work to improve market intelligence and storytelling. ”

Sara Athanas

Digital Services Executive at Vodafone

“The Productside Blueprint provided a fresh perspective, emphasizing the importance of a customer-centric approach in product development.”

William Campbell

Head of Design at Actionstep

"“Roger is AWESOME. From his own war stories, to his ability to involve everyone, give time for questions and clarifications by giving more examples. Truly impressive.”"

Why Productside?

Advance with industry-recognized product management training. Build skills you’ll use immediately, earn credentials hiring managers recognize, and lead with confidence.

  • Real Results from Real Experts: Led by experts from Amazon, Microsoft, and Honeywell, our instructors combine real-world experience with a passion for mentorship, equipping you with PM plays you can use from day one.
  • Templates and Tools You Can Use: The Optimal Product Management course includes the Productside Playbook™: 23 templates covering every stage of the product lifecycle. Other courses offer tailored frameworks and tools you can apply right away.
  • Small Class Sizes, Big Impact: Learn in an engaging environment with less than 20 participants per class. More interaction. More insights. Better results.

Under 20 seats. Enroll today.

Small class sizes are the point: more interaction, more coaching, better decisions. Reserve your seat, or talk to us about running this privately for your team.

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Not ready to enroll?

Get the full syllabus