Google Maps: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

Kumar Vishwesh
4 min readMar 13, 2023
Photo by James Yarema on Unsplash

In the article “Google Maps: Product improvement questions in Product Management Interviews”, we will see frequently asked questions and an approach to answer those, particularly for “Google Maps”. It is recommended to prepare these questions before the interview.

Some common product improvement questions in product management interviews, which can apply to any product & are frequently asked:

  1. What improvements would you suggest for [product name] to enhance its usability?
  2. How would you increase [product name]’s market share?
  3. What features would you add to [product name] to better meet customer needs?
  4. Can you identify any potential weaknesses in [product name] and suggest solutions?
  5. How would you go about improving [product name]’s user retention?
  6. What strategies would you use to increase [product name]’s revenue?
  7. How would you improve the overall customer experience of [product name]?
  8. What changes would you make to [product name] to better compete with similar products in the market?
  9. What steps would you take to reduce customer churn for [product name]?
  10. How would you measure the success of your proposed improvements to [product name]?

A suggested approach for answering the common product improvement questions in product management interviews

https://datasciencestunt.com/common-product-improvement-questions-in-product-management-interviews/

Sample Answers to the 10 questions for “Google Maps”

Note: These are imperfect answers so you can improve these directionally correct answers with updated data points and by bringing your own perspectives. Please feel free to post your answers.

What improvements would you suggest for Google Maps to enhance its usability?

One improvement I would suggest is to provide more accurate real-time traffic information, including accidents, road closures, and construction sites.

Another improvement would be to improve the user interface for exploring and selecting transit options, such as making it easier to filter by time and mode of transportation.

How would you increase Google Maps’ market share?

One strategy would be to expand the range of countries and cities covered by Google Maps, especially in developing countries where mapping data is less comprehensive.

Another strategy would be to integrate Google Maps more closely with other Google products, such as Google Assistant, to create a more seamless user experience.

What features would you add to Google Maps to better meet customer needs?

One feature that would be useful is the ability to search for and filter by wheelchair accessibility, to help users with disabilities navigate cities more easily.

Another feature that could be added is a “favorite places” section where users can save frequently visited locations and get personalized recommendations for nearby businesses and attractions.

Can you identify any potential weaknesses in Google Maps and suggest solutions?

One weakness is that the accuracy of Google Maps’ location data can be affected by factors like poor GPS signal or outdated business information. To improve accuracy, Google could invest in more sophisticated location-tracking technology and crowdsourced data verification.

Another weakness is that Google Maps can sometimes be overwhelming or confusing for users, especially when searching for complex directions or multiple locations. To address this, Google could provide more intuitive and personalized search results, as well as clearer visual cues for navigation.

How would you go about improving Google Maps’ user retention?

One strategy would be to offer more personalized recommendations based on user data, such as frequently visited locations and search history.

Another strategy would be to integrate social features into Google Maps, such as the ability to share and save locations with friends or join local groups based on common interests.

What strategies would you use to increase Google Maps’ revenue?

One strategy would be to offer premium features or services for businesses, such as enhanced listings or advertising options.

Another strategy would be to explore partnerships with other companies, such as ride-sharing or delivery services, to monetize location data and drive additional revenue streams.

How would you improve the overall customer experience of Google Maps?

One way to improve the customer experience would be to invest in more sophisticated voice recognition and natural language processing technology, to enable more seamless and intuitive navigation.

Another way would be to provide more personalized and context-aware notifications and alerts, such as traffic updates or event reminders.

What changes would you make to Google Maps to better compete with similar products in the market?

One change would be to offer more offline functionality, such as the ability to save and navigate maps without an internet connection.

Another change would be to integrate more machine learning and AI features into Google Maps, such as personalized route recommendations based on real-time traffic and weather data.

What steps would you take to reduce customer churn for Google Maps?

One step would be to provide more comprehensive and user-friendly onboarding for new users, to ensure they understand the full range of Google Maps’ features and capabilities.

Another step would be to provide more proactive and personalized support for users experiencing issues with the app, such as technical glitches or confusing navigation.

How would you measure the success of your proposed improvements to Google Maps?

Success could be measured through a variety of metrics, such as increased user engagement, improved retention rates, and increased revenue from premium features or partnerships. Additionally, user feedback and reviews could be used to gauge overall satisfaction with the app and identify areas for further improvement.

Conclusion

On the whole, hope this article helped in making you aware of common product improvement questions and approaches to answering those in product management interviews, particularly for “Google Maps”.

Other articles in the series:

Google Drive: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

Gmail: Product Improvement Questions in Product Management Interviews

To learn more, here go the tables of contents on Product Management & Data Science. Curious about how product managers can utilize Bhagwad Gita’s principles to tackle difficulties? Give this super short book a shot. This will certainly support my work.

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Kumar Vishwesh

AI/ML PM at Intel | Ex-BCG | www.datasciencestunt.com | Enroll in the "Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate" by Google: imp.i384100.net/q4zLN5