SICSA Seminar – Dr Abd Alsattar Ardati presents Teaching Product Judgement

Teaching Product Judgement: Rethinking the Student Experience in Software Product and Project Management with Dr Abd Alsattar Ardati

Abstract:

Software engineering students are often well prepared to think about implementation and delivery, but less often asked to reason about value, prioritisation, uncertainty, and strategic trade-offs. In this talk, I will present the pedagogical design of CS5034, a Master’s-level module in Software Product and Project Management at the University of St Andrews, and reflect on how it was used to reshape the student experience around product judgement rather than delivery alone. The module combines a standards-based foundation in software product management through ISPMA with discovery-led teaching, a shared fictional startup case, studio-style tutorials, and coursework built around revision and feedback. I will discuss how this design makes assumptions, trade-offs, and strategic reasoning more visible to students, and what this experience suggests for educators seeking stronger connections between software engineering education and contemporary product practice.

Dr Abd Alsattar Ardati is a Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of St Andrews where his work spans human computer interaction, software engineering, and digital inclusion, with a focus on participatory design and socio-technical systems that connect universities, industry, and communities.

This seminar will be hybrid from University of St Andrews. Register to receive meeting link.