This is part of a mini-series illustrating how to think creatively for interviews. It is also a way to build your product sense instincts.

Instructions:

1. See a problem.

2. Identify the quick problem statement/goal

3. Identify a user to solve for

4. Come up with three solutions

What you should avoid:

1. Overthinking

2. Being too grounded in reality

3. Trying to follow the rules of the typical product interview

Now let’s dive in:

What is the problem: Standup Paddleboarding (SUP) on a lake with a lot of rocks right after the snow melt (in this case a major snowmelt) means you can’t see the rocks.

Goal: Help a relatively novice standup paddleboarder to enjoy the lake by removing their worry of hitting rocks.

User: See Goal

Three Solutions:

1. MVP: Downloadable map with rocks that tend to be problematic for boats with boards marked. You look up manually.

2. Guided Trip: Voice-Guided paddling that provides instructions based on map, keeping you clear of any known rocks, regardless of what you can see. Tell it your lake, and it will tell you how to paddle to avoid them.

3. IOT: Mini-Sonar attached to the bottom of the boat that reads rocks and makes a loud noise when the paddleboard approaches a rock.

If you don’t use a SUP, try picking a sport you enjoy and come up with a problem and three solutions. Maybe it is golfing or running. Go for it.