What’s your Favorite Product? Mock Q&A (Interview Prep by Sabina)
This interviewer is trying to get a feel for 3 things:
- Your understanding of product design
- Your ability to deliver constructive criticism
- Your knowledge of a specific product
With that in mind, here’s a step by step breakdown of one way to approach the question, using Instagram as an example for a favorite product:
Step 1: Repeat the problem to the interviewer and ask any follow-up questions as needed to establish clear communication
Step 2: Outline your answer
Ex: Before I explain why it’s my favorite app, let’s quickly review how Instagram works. Instagram has two main types of users. End users, who choose accounts to follow (e.g. friends and family, celebrities, sports stars, etc.), which in turn creates a personalized feed of photos and videos that provides information, entertainment, and inspiration. These users can also upload photos and videos to share with their own followers. And advertisers, who sell products and build their brand on the platform.
Step 3: Clarify the business objective you’re going to focus on for the rest of your answer
Ex: The more time users are on the app and the deeper their engagement, the more rewarding the platform is to advertisers, which creates a virtuous cycle. Therefore, in terms of its business objectives, Instagram is most likely interested in user engagement and revenue.
Step 4: Select a user type
Ex: I tend to use Instagram mostly as an end-user, not an advertiser, so let me explain more about the product from that perspective
Step 5: Define the user problems that are being solved by the product you chose
Ex: Instagram provides solutions to common problems for users like me.
One, people often experience boredom in their free time.
Two, it can be difficult to find personalized but varied content all in one place. And three, people often want to fill a couple of minutes of free time in scenarios where they’re only carrying their phone, like waiting in line for coffee or in between stops on the subway.
Step 6: Explain how the product solves the user problem better than competitors
Ex: Instagram solves these problems better than competitors in a few ways.
First, by giving users the option of exactly what accounts to follow, there’s a really high chance a user’s feed is full of content they’re going to enjoy as soon as the app launches on their phone. This is a better solution than some alternatives which first require you to choose the type of content you want to engage with before really providing value. Therefore I look to Instagram whenever I’m bored because of this intentional design, as it cures my boredom without me having to expend any effort.
Second, the user is given an endless stream of content from various sources, as compared to alternative solutions that might have a finite amount of content that’s separated into categories. This type of feed therefore makes me more likely to use and engage with the app because it’s an easier experience than disjointed alternatives.
Third, the primary design of the app as a mobile experience built around visuals might be Instagram’s biggest advantage over its competitors. For instance, reading a tweet while walking is harder than glancing at a picture. The core design of the app, therefore, makes the barrier to engage with Instagram content really low compared to other alternatives. This is a great solution when I have limited free time in scenarios best suited for a mobile experience, like walking down the street with a cup of coffee in one hand and my phone in the other.”
Step 7: Identify potential product tradeoffs/room for improvement
Ex: For instance, one trade-off here is that if my primary experience in the app is the feed, I may not search for new accounts to follow, which in the long run might reduce my engagement. To combat this, it might be a good idea to include some “you might also like these other accounts” features in the feed, to help keep the user experience with the platform fresh over time. This will disrupt the experience a little bit but will also help maintain or even deepen the engagement in the long run.
Step 8: State the initial question again and summarize.
Ex: That’s why Instagram is my favorite product. The endless feed of visuals optimized for mobile provides a simple solution for users looking to be entertained. Given how easy it is to use and engage with the app, it builds a virtuous cycle that creates more revenue opportunities for advertisers.
