Notes: Product Sense 101

In 2019, I had my first product sense interview with a company called Loom. Even though I had three years of experience working in Product Management, I was unfamiliar with this concept. Upon hearing about the importance of product sense in interviews, I immediately began preparing. To ensure I was fully prepared, I scheduled a mock interview and training session with a senior product manager at Facebook, where we delved into complex questions such as “How would you build Uber for the blind?”. It was a challenge but I left the session with a better understanding of what was expected of me.

During the interview, I was presented with a question about Loom, which was somewhat of an "easier" start, but I still felt overwhelmed with nerves for the first three minutes. However, I collected my thoughts and wrote down some bullet points, ultimately putting together an answer. Since that experience, I have had several more product sense interviews, and I wanted to document notes I've found online as a reminder to myself for similar interviews in the future.

What is Product Sense?

As Lenny put it in his blog post “How to develop product sense”, Product sense is the skill of consistently being able to craft products (or make changes to existing products) that have the intended impact on their users.” Product sense relies on empathy, domain knowledge and creativity.

What is a product sense interview?

Product sense interviews are a type of job interview that are commonly used in the tech industry to assess a candidate's ability to think critically about product development and management. As companies began to realize the importance of product management in the success of their products, they started to place greater emphasis on hiring candidates who possess the necessary skills and competencies.

Product sense interviews typically involve presenting the candidate with a hypothetical product scenario or problem and asking them to come up with a solution or plan of action. The interviewer is looking for evidence of the candidate's ability to analyze the situation, think creatively, and make sound decisions based on data and insights.

Check out this Product Sense GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-VEZbZQzDJ-pm-product-sense-gpt.

Is there a framework I can follow?

Yes! A framework for approaching Product Sense typically consists of several key steps. Let's explore each step in a clearer manner:

Step 1: Understand the Question

• Take a moment to write down and fully grasp the question.

• Ask clarifying questions to gain a better understanding, avoiding unnecessary questions due to nervousness (things like budget, timeline etc, just make an assumption and vocalize it).

Step 2: Company Alignment

• State the company's mission, vision, strategy, and why they might (or might not) be interested in the particular feature or idea.

• Identify potential competitors and consider how this product or feature can offer something new or better.

• Evaluate existing methods used to solve the problem.

• Explore the company's strengths compared to other platforms and leverage those strengths as differentiators.

Step 3: Customer Segmentation

• Select a specific customer segment to focus on.

• Utilize broader categories and then delve into smaller user types within those categories.

• Consider various segmentation factors: demographics, geography, psychographics (values and attitudes), behavior (e.g., purchase or browsing behavior), usage patterns (active vs. inactive users), channel segmentation (email, social media, in-person), and customer lifecycle (their stage in the journey, such as the creator funnel).

• Restate the goal and inquire if there are any specific priorities. Otherwise, prioritize a segment based on scale and impact, considering the number of potential users and which segment they belong to.

• Determine which segment is best suited for the feature, emphasizing the company's competitive advantage.

• Seek confirmation from stakeholders regarding the chosen direction.

Step 4: Pain Points and Needs

• Engage in a quick brainstorming session to identify pain points and needs.

• Examine the friction present in other platforms.

• Prioritize pain points based on their impact on the goal.

• Analyze why these pain points exist and consider innovative alternatives that could benefit users.

• Restate the focus area and summarize the chosen direction.

Step 5: Solutions and MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

• Brainstorm potential solutions based on the identified problem/opportunity.

• Select one solution and provide a rationale for its choice.

• Outline the details of the MVP, describing how the feature would look and function.

• Address any risks or concerns and explain why the proposed solution is preferable.

Step 6: Metrics and Alignment

• Determine the metrics that will measure success, focusing on engagement and retention.

• Ensure the metrics align with the original differentiator of the company and the chosen segment.

By following this refined framework, you can effectively tackle Product Sense interviews and demonstrate your analytical thinking and strategic approach to product management.

How can I improve my Product Sense interview skills?

1. Engage in observing people interact with products by initiating a monthly meet-up group for product managers.

• Consider asking the following questions during product reviews:

  • What is the intended purpose of this product and who is the target audience?

  • Once you're using the product, what actions would you like to take?

  • What thoughts are going through your mind at the moment? How does the product make you feel?

2. Begin deconstructing everyday products on your own.

• Take notes on your experience while getting started and signing up.

• Evaluate how the application introduces itself within the first minute and what tasks can be accomplished.

• Assess the user-friendliness of the app.

• Reflect on your emotions while exploring the app.

• Did the app meet your expectations?

• Compare the app to other competitors in the same category (e.g., Venmo vs. Cash App).

3. Learn from influential product thinkers.

• Embrace the wisdom of Stewart Butterfield, who stated, "The details are not the details. They make the design," quoting designer Charles Eames.
  

If you’re able to connect with great product thinkers, here are some sample questions you can ask to better understand their processes and insights:

• What prompted you to build your product? This will give you a sense of the type of user insights you should be looking for and the process to get them.

• What were the key decision points along the way?

• What alternative approaches did you consider? For ambiguous problems, you have to explore multiple approaches before you land on one that works. Understanding the solutions that were discarded, and why, will help you get a sense of how they test hypotheses and make trade-offs.

• What were surprising insights or results? Knowing when their initial hypotheses were wrong and understanding why can help you uncover great insights.

• What principles or frameworks helped you navigate the ambiguity? Great product thinkers internalize product principles they use to evaluate solutions. If you can uncover those principles, you can use them to guide your decisions as well.

Enhancing your Product Sense involves nurturing your curiosity and staying informed about changes in technology and your specific domain. Consider the following suggestions:

1. Cultivate a deep interest in technological advancements and industry trends.

• Dedicate time to learn about emerging trends in technology, societal shifts, and relevant regulations.

• Explore various sources to stay updated on macro technology trends, such as:

  • Attend annual developer conferences hosted by major tech companies like Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon to gain insights into their promising areas of focus.

  • Follow industry analysts like Ben Thompson and read their commentaries.

  • Keep an eye on influential tech founders and investors on Twitter, such as Naval Ravikant, Elad Gil, and Balaji Srinivasan, and pay attention to the trends they're enthusiastic about.

  • If possible, consider investing in or advising startups operating in the areas that interest you. Alternatively, closely observe the investments made by top venture capitalists and follow the companies they back.

2. Embrace the mindset of "living in the future" to foster your product sense.

• Reflect on Paul Graham's words from "How to Get Startup Ideas": "Live in the future, then build what's missing." This approach can also be applied to developing your product sense.

• Question the existing state of things and strive to understand why they are the way they are. Adopt a child-like curiosity to uncover potential gaps and opportunities.

By being proactive in your learning, staying informed about industry trends, and nurturing your curiosity, you can significantly enhance your Product Sense and make better-informed decisions as a product manager.

Things to remember about people using products.

1. People are time-crunched and distracted when they use your product. Pick the right defaults and use visual design and cues to make primary actions obvious.

2. People will drop out of the flow as soon as they feel confused or nervous. Make sure labels are unambiguous.

3. Don’t give people too much information at once.

4. Give context to decisions that have an impact. Use comparison tools or social proof.

5. Make sure the goal of your product and possible use cases/things to do are clear. This could even just be an intro video.

Bonus: Things to think about if you’re asked to evaluate the efficiency or cost of a new feature or integration:

1. Business goals: The new tool or feature should align with the business goals and objectives. It should help to improve the user experience, increase revenue, or reduce costs.

2. Compatibility: The new tool or feature should be compatible with the existing technology stack and infrastructure. It should not cause conflicts or compatibility issues with other systems or software.

3. Cost: The cost of the new tool or feature should be reasonable and justifiable. It should not be prohibitively expensive, and the potential return on investment should be evaluated.

4. Security and privacy: The new tool or feature should not compromise the security or privacy of user data. It should comply with relevant data protection laws and regulations.

5. Support and maintenance: The vendor providing the new tool or feature should offer reliable support and maintenance services. They should be responsive to any issues or problems that arise.

6. User adoption: The new tool or feature should be easy to use and intuitive for users. It should not add unnecessary complexity or confusion to the platform.

7. Performance and scalability: The new tool or feature should be able to handle the expected volume of traffic and usage. It should be scalable to accommodate future growth.

8. Integration: The new tool or feature should integrate seamlessly with other systems or software used by the business. This can help to streamline processes and reduce manual work.

Resources to learn more

1. Dianna Yau - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Wv8S3Jxlc&list=PLejl_r9a59gtDlXZ1Na95296rPI1uoyBu&ab_channel=DiannaYau

2. Exponent - https://www.youtube.com/@tryexponent , this is a great example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=se6Soyi2k0U&t=1562s&ab_channel=Exponent