Product Manager from Scratch: Free Program

# IT Product Manager Self-Study Program: Free Resources to Get Started

The IT Product Manager handles the full product lifecycle: from market analysis and user needs to coordinating development, marketing, and sales. The specialist defines the roadmap, prioritizes features, and drives product growth. This free 5–7 month program lets you master the basics from scratch and prepare for junior roles.

The program draws from proven free courses and tools. It's perfect for career changers with zero spending.

Stage 1: Basics of the Profession

Start by understanding the PM role. Dive into introductory materials:

• YouTube videos: “Who is a Product Manager”, “What Does a Product Manager Do”, “Product Management in IT”.
• Article on PM skills, career paths, and salaries.

This gives you a solid overview of key tasks: user research, product lifecycle, stakeholder management.

Stage 2: Core Video Courses

Move to structured courses to lock in the theory. Top free recommendations:

• “Product Management” course from VK Team — covers PM fundamentals in IT.
• “Yandex Managers' School” from Yandex for Products — emphasizes product thinking.
• “Product Manager” course from OTUS IT Online Education — hands-on practice and cases.

Courses aren't always up-to-date, so tool versions might differ. Check community chats for the latest.

Total time: 20–40 hours. You'll learn to frame hypotheses, run A/B tests, and handle metrics like retention, churn, and LTV.

Stage 3: Tools and Supporting Skills

For junior level, get hands-on with the PM tech stack:

• Task Planning: Jira (boards, backlogs, sprints), Confluence (documentation, wiki).
• Prototyping: Figma — wireframes, interactive prototypes, components.
• Analytics: Google Analytics (events, cohorts), Amplitude (user funnels, segmentation).
• Data Visualization: Tableau — dashboards, data blending.
• Methodologies: Scrum (daily standups, retrospectives), Kanban (WIP limits), Agile, Waterfall, V-model.

Practice on real projects: build a Figma prototype, set up a Tableau dashboard. Hunt down tutorials and docs for deeper mastery.

Ongoing Growth: Reading and Networking

Stay current:

• Reading: channels “Do It Right, It'll Turn Out Fine”, “Epic Growth” — cases, PM trends.
• Networking: ProductCamp Russia (&EE) — Q&A, discussions, mentorship.

Spend 2–3 hours weekly. Track trends like AI in products, no-code tools, growth hacking.

Key Takeaways

• Focuses solely on free resources—no paid courses.
• Mastery time: 5–7 months at 10–15 hours/week.
• Post-program: Prep for interviews with cases and behavioral questions.
• Junior PM: 70% soft skills (communication, prioritization) + 30% tools.
• Job hunt on HH.ru, LinkedIn, Telegram IT job channels.

Gearing Up for Your First Steps

After all stages, build a portfolio: 2–3 case studies covering the problem, solution, and metrics. Hone skills on pet projects or open-source.

Prep for common interviews: product sense (design a product), execution (metrics, trade-offs), leadership.

— Editorial Team