Earning 12PD credits: A Look at Product Development CD-Rom

[failed8v]

Anyone used it?

Seems like this would be the easiest, because:

1. It does not have an expiration date(does it?).
2. It is the cheapest
3. Could be used by a person in any track?

Nothing could be as good as this, I must be missing something. Am I?

Thanks,

[Chris Poirier]

3. Could be used by a person in any track?

Nothing could be as good as this, I must be missing something. Am I?

It can be used by a person in any track, but unless you're in the ILA track you're going to have an awfully tough time justifying 12 credits for it. Keep in mind that all PD components need to be relevant to you and your PD plan. You might still be able to use some of the credits, but (assuming the "8v" in your userid means something) I'd be surprised if you could take more than 2-3 credits. But that's a decision you and your advisor will need to make.

[mayreeh]

I'm in individual life, but financial reporting. Would it be a stretch to count on the PD CD for 5 credits? How about 10?

[GadgetGeek]

I think the argument could be made that in order to properly do financial reporting, you need to understand all aspects of the product design (as we are well aware of from our 8i studies). What better way to understand product design that the product development CD? Won't hurt to try the full amount in initial plan. Maybe they come back and knock the credits down, but maybe they don't.

[mayreeh]

Hmmmm. I hadn't thought about getting greedy, but there is some merit to your argument.

Yet another alternative "initial professional development plan" to put together - and hopefully get to ship out in a week or so.

[Minerva]

IMHO, this CD-Rom is not worth 12 credits for anyone who passed 8I - there is a huge amount of overlap.

[mayreeh]

IMHO, this CD-Rom is not worth 12 credits for anyone who passed 8I - there is a huge amount of overlap.

Do you know this from personal experience or is this just your opinion?

[Minerva]

I did the CD-Rom last spring, soon after passing 8I. Frankly, I thought there wasn't much on it that WASN'T on the 2001 8I syllabus.

That said, I've talked to several people who used it for their PD and claimed all 12 credits, and the SOA didn't question it at all, so it works. These folks also agreed that there was a lot of overlap.

{on vent} In my case, even though in the FAQ the SOA says that it's OK to say that there wasn't much of value in a session, my advisor made me cut down the number of credits I claimed. That'll teach me to be honest with the boss. {off vent}

Conceptually, it fits in perfectly with a model Life-Product Development plan, category #2 - it just doesn't have new material.

[mayreeh]

To the best of your recollection - was there enough general life stuff on there for a valuation/financial reporting person to be able to call it 5 credits? (Assuming, of course, there the whole thing is worth 12 for a product person....)

<sigh of relief> My advisor is a much easier sell than yours was. My big concern is getting things past the SOA, not him.

[Effa]

Another question - does this CD-ROM count towards the 15 unit maximum of audio/video/internet "programs"? I'm hoping to combine this with 12 units of audio cassettes. Also - did anyone confirm this CD is timeless (i.e. has no "eligibility date")?

Background... from the SOA -
Candidates are permitted to make use of professionally audiotaped, videotaped, and/or Internet programs up to a maximum of 15 units per plan (either SOA-approved or non-approved). However, these programs are limited to those sponsored by the SOA or other recognized actuarial organizations (e.g. CAS, CIA, CCA, ASPA, AAA,). In the case of audio or videotaped programs, the date of the actual program will serve as the eligibility date for a candidate's PD plan time frame.

[Minerva]

To the best of your recollection - was there enough general life stuff on there for a valuation/financial reporting person to be able to call it 5 credits? (Assuming, of course, there the whole thing is worth 12 for a product person....)



My recollection is that it would be general enough to count for at least 6 for a reporting person, and definitely for experience studies - there's a bunch of stuff about profit measures and monitoring. That part still overlaps 8I quite a bit, but I thought that part was about the only "new" stuff on the CD). Also, even though you're supposed to talk about applicability to your roles, you could broaden it by "applying" it to a possible future role in product work or experience studies.

Another question - does this CD-ROM count towards the 15 unit maximum of audio/video/internet "programs"? I'm hoping to combine this with 12 units of audio cassettes. Also - did anyone confirm this CD is timeless (i.e. has no "eligibility date")?



Sorry I can't address the audio/internet stuff, since I just did this and the 1 virtual campus credit in that category. I also didn't CONFIRM the timelessness, but it is currently explicitly on the seminar/meeting list, and with no date. FWIW, my interpretation was that the "date" for 25-month purposes was the date I completed it.