Assessments

Grading Overview

Component	Points	% of Grade
Sprints (5 × 50)	250	50%
Peer Code Review	50	10%
Peer Product Testing	50	10%
Final Product	100	20%
Quizzes (10 × 5)	50	10%
TOTAL	500	100%

List of All Assessments

Type	Description	Points	Learning Outcome(s)¹
Quiz	Quiz 1 - PM in the AI Era	5	1
Quiz	Quiz 2 - Problems Worth Solving	5	2
Quiz	Quiz 3 - Problem Discovery	5	2
Quiz	Quiz 4 - Validating Opportunities	5	2
Quiz	Quiz 5 - Building Your MVP	5	4
Quiz	Quiz 6 - Testing with Users	5	4
Quiz	Quiz 7 - Platform Strategy	5	4
Quiz	Quiz 8 - Measuring What Matters	5	4
Quiz	Quiz 9 - Go-to-Market	5	4
Quiz	Quiz 10 - Business Models	5	4
Sprint	Sprint 1 - Ship & Showcase	50	1
Sprint	Sprint 2 - Validate & Commit	50	2, 3
Sprint	Sprint 3 - Core Product	50	4
Sprint	Sprint 4 - Measure & Position	50	4
Sprint	Sprint 5 - Monetize & Scale	50	4
Peer	Peer Code Review	50	4
Peer	Peer Product Testing	50	4
Project	Final Product	100	4
	TOTAL	500

Notes

Table of Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcome	Supported BYU Aims
1. Understand the basics of how LLMs generate natural language.	Intellectually Enlarging
2. Develop and articulate a product strategy.	Intellectually Enlarging, Lifelong Learning and Service
3. Analyze the physical, mental, and spiritual impact your product is likely to have on its users.	Spiritually Strengthening, Character Building, Lifelong Learning and Service
4. Create a digital product that delivers value to a target customer group.	Intellectually Enlarging, Lifelong Learning and Service

Quizzes

In-class quizzes assess your understanding of the assigned reading. Each quiz is worth 5 points (1% of your grade).

Quizzes occur at the beginning of class on the dates shown in the schedule. They cover the chapter assigned for that week.

Why We Do Quizzes

Research shows that writing down what you’ve just learned helps your brain remember it better. Psychologists call this the “testing effect” or “retrieval practice”: when you pull ideas out of your head and put them into words, you strengthen your memory far more than by just rereading or listening.

Sprints

Sprints are your primary way to demonstrate progress throughout the semester. Each sprint builds on the previous one, and your portfolio is the submission point for all sprint work.

Portfolio: You’ll use the same portfolio URL all semester. TAs will check your portfolio at each sprint deadline.

Videos: All sprint submissions require a 2-minute Loom video walking through your deliverables.

Portfolio Template: github.com/byu-strategy/product-management-portfolio

Sprint 1: Ship & Showcase

50 points | Due: Thu, Jan 29

Overview

The purpose of this homework assignment is to help you create a public facing portfolio containing your work that you can use to share with potential employers and others.

The deliverables for this homework are:

A URL pointing to your personal portfolio published on the internet via GitHub Pages (see template)
A 2-minute Loom video walking through your portfolio

Set-up

Create a new repo from the following template on GitHub: https://github.com/byu-strategy/product-management-portfolio. Call the repo “portfolio”.

After creating the repo, go to Settings -> Pages -> Deploy from a branch, and select GitHub Actions

Start VS Code and then Open -> Open Folder to the folder you want to save your portfolio files in. Then open a Terminal within VS Code.
Copy/paste the URL of your new repo and run the following command from the terminal. Your URL should have the following structure: https://github.com/[your github username]/portfolio

git clone https://github.com/[your github username]/portfolio.git

Make sure to add .git to the end of the URL and update your user name before running the command.

Then use the terminal to navigate into the newly cloned git repo (folder)

cd portfolio

You should now see all of the files from the repo in your left hand window pane within VS Code. These are the source files behind the template.
To complete the homework, you will edit and personalize the template. Once you are done editing, save all of the files and run the following git commands to publish your portfolio:

git add .
git commit -m "write a short message describing your changes"
git push

Once you have pushed your changes, within about one minute, your website portfolio will be live at this URL: https://[your github username].github.io/portfolio/

Remember to update your user name in the URL.

You can preview what your portfolio looks like at any point by running this command from the terminal:

quarto preview

For this to work, you will need to install quarto. Get Claude code to help you install it.

Requirements

You should make at least the following changes to the source files of your portfolio.

Add a personal photo (I recommend using your LinkedIn photo for a consistent online presence)
Update and personalize the Home page (index.qmd)
Update and personalize the About page (about.qmd)
Update and personalize the project-1.qmd file to accurately reflect the application you built. The two buttons linking to your GitHub source code and deployed Vercel app are required and will be verified during grading.
Use AI or another tool of your choice to create a favicon and update the image reference in the .yml. You could use an icon or just your initial(s).
Create a “Problems I’m Exploring” page on your portfolio with 5 problems you personally experience. For each problem:
- Write a professional, public-facing description
- Explain why this problem matters to you
- Frame it as something worth solving (not just a complaint)
Choose one other person to show your portfolio to and describe to them what you built. Take a couple minutes to explain to them the tools and skills you are learning.

Although not required for this assignment, you should feel free to make further enhancements and personalizations to your portfolio. You will continue to build on this portfolio throughout the course so it should be something you invest significant effort in as it can be a valuable tool for you in the future to showcase your skills.

Turn in:

Submit a PDF or Word Doc containing:

URL to your live portfolio
URL to your Loom video walkthrough

Video Requirements:

Your 2-minute Loom video should cover:

Portfolio walkthrough - Walk through your portfolio showing your About page, prototype project, and Problems I’m Exploring page
What you learned - Briefly explain one new tool or skill you learned while building this
Show & tell reflection - Share who you showed your portfolio to (name and relationship), and describe their reaction:
- What questions did they ask?
- What was their overall impression?
- Did anything surprise you about their feedback?

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points	Expectations
Portfolio Deployed & Accessible	10	Site is live at GitHub Pages URL, all pages load without errors, navigation works
About Section	5	Personal photo included, compelling personal story, professional tone, no placeholder text
Prototype Project	15	Project page complete with description, working links to both deployed Vercel app AND GitHub repo
Problems I’m Exploring	10	5 distinct problems listed, each professionally framed with clear description of why it matters
Client Ready Polish	5	No broken links, no typos, consistent formatting, would confidently show to an employer
Loom Video Walkthrough	5	2-min video covering portfolio walkthrough, what you learned, and show & tell reflection

What “Client Ready” Means:

Your portfolio should be something you could show to a prospective employer with confidence. This means:

All hyperlinks work
No spelling or grammar errors
No placeholder or template text remaining
Images load properly
Consistent visual styling
Professional tone throughout

Points will be deducted for issues that detract from a professional presentation.

Sprint 2: Validate & Commit

Weeks 3-5 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Feb 5

Goal: Validate a problem worth solving and start building your real product.

Deliverables:

5 problem interviews completed
Interview synthesis on portfolio using this format:
- Problem statement
- Who you talked to (roles, not names)
- Key insights (3-5 bullets)
- Notable quotes
- What you learned
Problem statement locked
Target customer defined
First real prototype (v0.1) deployed
Basic Supabase auth working

Portfolio additions:

Featured Project section started
Interview synthesis
Problem statement
Target customer description
v0.1 link

Turn in:

2-min Loom video (required)
Portfolio updated

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
5 interviews completed with synthesis	15
Clear problem statement	10
Target customer defined	5
v0.1 deployed with Supabase auth	15
Loom video walkthrough	5

Sprint 3: Core Product

Weeks 5-7 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Feb 19

Goal: Build the core feature that delivers your value proposition.

Deliverables:

PRD document (AI-assisted)
Core feature functional with data persistence
3 user tests completed
User feedback synthesis
Platform strategy decision (web-only, PWA, or Capacitor)

Portfolio additions:

PRD artifact (PDF or page)
User feedback summary (polished)
Updated product link
Screenshots of core feature

Turn in:

2-min Loom video (required)
Portfolio updated

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
PRD document complete	10
Core feature functional with data persistence	15
3 user tests with synthesis	15
Platform strategy documented	5
Loom video walkthrough	5

Sprint 4: Measure & Position

Weeks 7-9 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Mar 5

Goal: Know your numbers and prepare for launch.

Deliverables:

Analytics integrated and tracking key events
Metrics dashboard (screenshot or link)
Landing page live
Go-to-market plan
Product iteration based on data

Portfolio additions:

GTM Plan artifact
Metrics/results section started
Landing page link
Analytics dashboard screenshot

Turn in:

2-min Loom video (required)
Portfolio updated

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
Analytics integrated with key events	10
Metrics dashboard	10
Landing page live	10
GTM plan complete	15
Loom video walkthrough	5

Sprint 5: Monetize & Scale

Weeks 9-11 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Mar 19

Goal: Business model live and growth foundations in place.

Deliverables:

Business model canvas
Pricing page/strategy implemented
Payment flow working (Stripe integration required)
One growth experiment designed and launched
Onboarding flow improved

Portfolio additions:

Business Model artifact
Results section updated
Growth experiment design and setup

Turn in:

2-min Loom video (required)
Portfolio updated

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
Business model canvas	10
Pricing strategy implemented	10
Stripe payment flow working	15
Growth experiment designed and launched	10
Loom video walkthrough	5

Peer Assignments

Peer assignments teach you to give and receive constructive feedback, a critical professional skill. You’ll be randomly paired with different classmates for each assignment.

Peer Code Review

Week 9-10 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Mar 12

Goal: Apply code analysis skills to a peer’s codebase and provide constructive feedback.

Process:

You’ll be assigned a partner (different from your product testing partner)
Your partner shares their GitHub repo with you
You use Claude Code to analyze their codebase
You write a professional code review
You actually run and test their app

Deliverables:

Part 1: AI-Assisted Analysis

Run the following prompts in Claude Code on your peer’s repo and save the outputs:

Prompt 1: "Analyze this project structure. List all directories and their purposes,
identify frontend vs backend files, and count total lines of code.
Save as peer-review-structure.md"

Prompt 2: "Trace the main user flow from UI to database.
What happens when a user performs the core action?
Save as peer-review-dataflow.md"

Prompt 3: "Identify the architecture pattern, code organization,
and any potential security concerns or code smells.
Save as peer-review-architecture.md"

Part 2: Written Review

Write a 1-2 page review covering:

Architecture observations: What patterns did you notice? How is the code organized?
Code quality: What’s done well? What could be cleaner?
Security considerations: Any obvious vulnerabilities?
3 specific suggestions: Actionable improvements with rationale

Part 3: Kick the Tires

Sign up and use the app as a real user
Document: Did it work? What broke? What was confusing?

Turn in:

The 3 AI-generated markdown files
Your written review (PDF or markdown)
Brief notes from your testing session

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
AI analysis files complete and thorough	15
Written review professional and constructive	20
Testing notes with specific observations	10
Tone is helpful, not harsh	5

Code Review Mindset

Your goal is to help your peer improve, not to criticize. Frame feedback as “Have you considered…” or “One thing that might help…” Great code reviewers make others want to work with them.

Peer Product Testing

Week 12-13 | 50 points | Due: Thu, Apr 2

Goal: Be a real test user for a peer’s product and provide actionable UX feedback.

Process:

You’ll be assigned a different partner than code review
You become an actual user of their product
You sign up, use core features, and try to break things
You document your experience and provide feedback

Deliverables:

Part 1: Test Session Documentation

Use the product for at least 20-30 minutes and document:

First impressions (30 seconds): What did you think when you first landed on the app?
Signup/onboarding: Was it smooth? Confusing? How long did it take?
Core task completion: Try to complete the main action(s). Did it work?
Bugs found: Screenshots + steps to reproduce
Confusing moments: Where did you get stuck or have to think?
What worked well: What was intuitive or delightful?

Part 2: Feedback Summary

Write up:

3 things that worked well (be specific)
3 prioritized improvement suggestions (most impactful first)
Overall impression: Would you use this? Would you pay for it? Why or why not?

Part 3: Video Walkthrough (Optional but encouraged)

2-3 min Loom showing your testing session
Narrate your thoughts as you use the app

Turn in:

Test session documentation
Feedback summary
Video link (if recorded)

Grading Rubric (50 points)

Category	Points
Thorough test documentation with specifics	20
Constructive feedback summary	20
Evidence of genuine engagement (not surface-level)	10

Testing Mindset

Your job is to help your peer see their product through fresh eyes. Be honest but kind. The best feedback is specific (“The button on the checkout page didn’t respond when I clicked it”) not vague (“The checkout was buggy”).

Final Project

Weeks 11-15 | 100 points | Due: Tue, Apr 14

Goal: Launch to real users and tell your story.

Deliverables:

Product live with real users (target: 5+, friends/family/classmates count)
Final presentation deck
10-minute live demo + presentation (Week 14)
Written reflection

Portfolio additions:

Final results + metrics
Technical details + GitHub link
Complete case study
Everything polished

Turn in:

5-min Loom video (required)
Presentation deck
Portfolio complete

Grading Philosophy: You are graded on effort and learning, not user acquisition outcomes. A thoughtful product with 3 engaged users beats a rushed product claiming 50 signups.

Grading Rubric (100 points)

Category	Points
Product Quality
Core feature works and delivers value	25
Technical implementation (auth, database, payments)	15
Design and usability	10
Presentation
Clear value proposition articulated	15
Demo shows real functionality	10
Reflection on learnings	10
Portfolio
Complete case study	10
Professional polish	5

Presentation Format (Week 14):

10 minutes total: ~3 min context/problem, ~5 min live demo, ~2 min reflections
Be prepared for Q&A

Feedback Surveys

Mid-Semester Feedback Survey

Complete this survey to have your lowest quiz score converted to a perfect score.

Survey Link

Student Ratings

Complete the end-of-semester student ratings to have your lowest quiz score converted to a perfect score.