Product Development Certificate
PLM, costing, sourcing, construction, and quality
Product development is at the core of every fashion brand. From concept development through to pre-production, success in fashion product development comes from a strong working knowledge of all aspects of the process. This certificate will prepare fashion professionals and those seeking a career in product development for today’s fashion industry. Fashion development today relies on new technologies as well as advanced methods of process control and resource management to optimize development resources, reducing the product development time cycle to meet the demand of modern retailers.
This certificate includes concentrations on the latest in product lifecycle management, costing development, product construction, quality assurance and development, sustainable sourcing, and marketing development
*If you think you are eligible for the 10% Alumni Discount, please complete the Alumni Verification Form prior to registration in order to receive your discount code.
Learning Activities
- Lessons in written form with support video and slide content
- Bi-weekly learning exercises to support learning via activities that utilize the module content
- Bi-weekly self-test quizzes in multiple choice format
- Bi-weekly online discussion boards supporting the module content with challenging topics
- Scheduled bi-weekly support sessions (Zoom-style meetings, attendance optional)
Why FIT?
- Classes taught by top industry experts
- Course includes concentrations in the latest topics
- This certificate will prepare fashion professionals and those seeking a career in product development for today’s fashion industry
- Earn a certificate from FIT/SUNY, a world renowned college of art and design, business and technology
Meet Your Instructor
Bernard Kahn
AAS; BS; MAOM; Assistant Adjunct Professor, Production Management, Fashion Institute
of Technology; and Assistant Professor, Marketing Design, Parsons School of Design
Having taught credit and noncredit at FIT since 1980, with over 45 years of experience
in the fashion industry from product development to production, to marketing and technology,
Mr. Kahn has experience in every fashion venue from men’s, to women’s to children’s,
swimwear and intimates, sportswear, denim, formal wear, outerwear, accessories, home
fashions, military, and more. Mr. Kahn not only teaches sustainability, but resides
on a small ranch with a near-zero carbon footprint.
An accomplished tailor, Mr. Kahn is currently in all product development technologies as well as administrator for FIT’s PLM system serving over 700 new users each semester. Mr. Kahn has consulted companies large and small, both domestic and overseas for over 35 years.
Outline
- Product Lifecycle Development
- PLM (Product Lifecycle Management)
- Sustainability Focus in Concept Development
- Developing Product in a Global Environment
- Concept Development Resources
- Cost Development and Sourcing Control
- Cost Management across Diverse Resources
- Optimizing Resource Costing
- Cash Flow Projection for New and Existing Businesses
- Identifying Competitive Resources and Evaluation
- Product Construction and Quality Assurance
- Specification Development and Communication
- Standards across Production and Quality Assurance
- Quality Assurance (Micro and Macro)
- Managing Remote Product Development Teams
- The “Morning Meeting” (Communication)
- Progress Tracking and Coordination
- Managing Timelines and Schedules
- Sustainable Source Evaluation
- Production Facility Evaluation
- Key Sustainable Evaluation Elements (Checklist) Analysis
- Matching Resource Sustainability to Retailer Requirements
- Sustainable Resource Communication to Consumers
- Process Improvement
- Post-Sale Analysis and Evaluation
- Analysis of Consumer Profile vs Actual Sales Performance
- Translating Post-Consumer response into Development Parameters
- Identification of New Consumer Opportunities
- Designing for the Consumer Vs Designing for the Designer
- Fashion Market Focus and Line Planning
- Identifying Demographic Characteristics of Primary and Secondary Customers
- Product Profile and Consumer Targeting
- Rollout Management
- Merchandising for Omni-Channel Distribution
Center for Continuing and Professional Studies (CCPS)
FIT's CCPS offers credit and noncredit certificates and courses in fashion, business, design, technology, and marketing, to help you enter into or advance your career in the fashion and related industries. With short programs and flexible schedules, you can learn at a time and pace you can manage and afford.