Frameworks to nail all product case questions
Use this framework to answer any product case questions effectively and leverage the tips outlined at the end to elevate your answers and get a sure shot strong hire rating.
Dear Reader,
If you are interviewing for product management roles in a tech company, chances are you’ll be asked to answer one or more product case questions during the process. Being able to answer these questions succinctly while leaving the interviewer impressed within 45 minutes is a skill in itself.
You can master that skill if you are able to identify the type of question, understand what interviewers are looking for, and articulate your thoughts in a structured, easy to follow fashion.
Below, I have categorized different types of product case questions, the hiring rubric for each type, and tips on modifying the framework to give the exact signal that the interviewer is looking for.
Most people follow a framework but what differentiates one candidate from another (hire v/s no hire rating) is whether they build an inspiring solution during the interview. I have laid out 3 tips on how you can elevate your answers and tip the needle from a weak/no hire to a strong hire rating.
There are four types of product questions:
Product Design: Checks for your ability to identify users, create personas, think big and be innovative. Eg. Design Twitter for the blind, Build a podcast product for Facebook, etc.
Product Improvement: Checks for your ability to identify and prioritize user pain points, define creative solutions and measure success. Eg. How would you improve Google Photos, Improve the experience to find a doctor, etc.
Product Strategy: Checks for your ability to understand and apply market dynamics, industry trends, world events. Eg. What should Zillow do next, Should Spotify increase its subscription cost, etc. (These questions are commonly asked at more senior levels)
Product growth: Checks for your business acumen, UX skills, and scrappiness. Eg. Grow TripAdvisor without a marketing budget, Increase twitter revenue without more ads, etc
Product Design Framework
1. Clarify Goals and assumptions
What is the product, how do we use it today, why do we need it, does it tie into the company’s mission (especially if the question is to build a new product for an existing company)
2. Identify Users: Who are the key users/personas? How would you prioritize your top persona and why? Select the top persona.
Think beyond demographics into behavior and needs for user personas.
To get real-world, “meaty” target groups, use a criterion to choose your target users.
3. Report Needs: What are their needs and challenges?
Look at the customer journey to report needs (user notices they are low on food, makes a list, chooses to go to store or shop online, buys foods most suitable for a small household, samples new foods, checks out, chooses between paper and plastic bag, etc.)
Use 5 whys to more deeply understand the needs
4. Summarize the goal and define Success Metrics:
Important to prioritize success metric and give a solid reasoning behind it
Define some counter metrics to get a holistic picture of product success. Eg. DAU with quality
Solutions will vary depending on the metric you align on at this stage
5. Brainstorm Solutions and Prioritize
Ensure you provide 2-3 solutions that will impact the success metric defined above
Use a prioritization framework which takes into account effort, impact, and alignment with company’s values
6. Trade off Analysis
How does your product solution impact other aspects of the business? Is that trade-off viable?
7. Summarize: End with Imagine statement
Summarize your goal, success metric and solution
End with an imagine statement. Eg. Imagine a world where everyone has access to healthy food without paying a premium for it
Product Improvement Framework
Next we will go through the Product Improvement Framework.