How to Develop "Breakthrough" Products and Services
MIT Sloan's half-term subject 15.356 lays out systematic methods for generating major product and service innovations, built on research into how breakthroughs actually happen inside firms. The centerpiece is the Lead User Method, a technique for identifying and learning from unusually innovative customers whose adaptations often anticipate mainstream demand. Course materials include lecture notes and case studies, and expert guest speakers walk through real concept development projects to show the practical judgment needed to apply the method, not just its theory. The course is aimed at students who want a repeatable process for innovation rather than reliance on inspiration alone. Offered through MIT OpenCourseWare, all materials are free to access, with no certificate offered. The course draws on Sloan School of Management research and is best suited to those with some grounding in business or product development concepts.