5 Tips: Strategy for Design

When doing a product insights or product design case when interviewing for Google or other companies, the strategic setup before you segment users is key. It does a few things:

• Lays the groundwork

• Let’s you think out loud

• Adds a natural flow to the conversations

The biggest problem candidates have in this section of the interview: Rambling. Most candidates talk too long, and lose their thoughts, and forget what they wanted to say. The poor interviewer is drowning in seemingly random facts searching for the “so what.”

Stay Focused

This list of key points is meant to keep you focused, but don’t use it so strictly that you sound like a robot.

1. Why Important and Why Now

• This is a must have for Meta interviews. But it helps everyone. In a sentence or two, point out why this might be an interesting and timely problem to tackle now.

2. Mission

• Inteview Target Know their mission and state it.

• Exiting Company, Not Interviewing Company Don’t worry about knowing the exact mission, state a hypothetical one that passes a common sense test.

• Imaginary Startup Create a Mission.

3. Goal (that can be refined)

• Build the habit, so that you don’t forget when it is necessary.

• We are not always ready to state a goal before we think about users.

• If this is for a startup where you made up a mission, you have some wiggle room to wait and state the goal later.

4. User Trends (aim for 3)

• Shows users empathy.

• Frame in context of current trends.

• Must have for Google.

• For Meta: Don’t forget to list stakeholders.

5. Tech Trends (aim for 3)

• Really mostly for Google, show you have followed current trends.

• Don’t sound like you are solutioning.

• Clarify that you aren’t sure if you will use these concepts but they are things to consider. Almost an extension of user trends.

In summary, show that you are thinking strategically before jumping in to the full answer,