Product Development and Design

The Certificate in Product Development and Design is for students and professionals who seek to solve complex problems from a holistic, design-oriented perspective. Whether you are an entrepreneur, administrator, civil servant, marketer, project manager, engineer, healthcare worker, educator, or advocate – this program will help you to discover solutions through the use of creativity, collaboration, and iterative design. Learn the fundamentals of design thinking and build solutions that have impact.

Program Highlights

Product development and design provides students with a toolkit to identify, examine, and address complex problems. Rooted in a flexible and collaborative practice known as iterative design, students from all disciplines and professional backgrounds learn how to build solutions that surpass client and stakeholder expectations. The iterative design process is universal, and students will graduate from this certificate program with the ability to view products, services, and society from a multifaceted perspective.

Accommodating busy schedules, the certificate program offers 100% online courses. Two courses must be completed in order to earn the certificate. Study on a part-time schedule and apply newfound skills simultaneously within the classroom and professional settings. In as little as one semester, students will learn how to:

• Articulate design principles within the context of product and service development.
• Apply a design mindset to better understand client needs and expectations.
• Manage interdisciplinary teams that include stakeholders like customer experience, marketing, finance, innovation, manufacturing, and organizational leadership.
• Differentiate services and products to better compete within the marketplace.
• Examine unsuccessful outcomes and recover from challenging situations.
• Foster a culture that supports innovation, collaboration, and reflection.
• Gather market insights from the perspectives of a consumer and service provider.

Career Outcomes

The Certificate in Product Development and Design is valuable to anyone who seeks a design-based approach to problem solving. Students and professionals from all backgrounds will benefit from learning how to listen, plan, do, and iterate. Those that complete the certificate program will be well-positioned to support product development within their chosen field, be it consumer products and services, technology, healthcare, education, government, and more.

The program also prepares those with STEM backgrounds for further study at Tufts School of Engineering. Credits earned during the certificate program may be eligible to transfer towards a master’s degree. Students may pursue advanced work in programs such as innovation and management, technology management and leadership, engineering management, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and human factors engineering.