Unfortunetly, they product management inteview has become an event unto itself. It is more of a game or puzzle. If you don’t have basic product skills, you probably can’t even play.

For example, I can’t spell, so I really can’t particpate in games of Scrabble, it is painful for everyone involved, me and anyone silly enough to make me play. With these product inteviews, if you don’t have user empathy or know how to identify and narrow problems, you probably shouldn’t be interviewing. But you could be good but just get nervous and so you get in your own head and get caught up in the rules of the game and miss the whole point.

One part of the product interview game, as I call it, is getting the setup right. Lately, a lot of my clients have been struggling with this one, so I have started coming up with exercises to help them.

If you want to learn more, read based on where you are struggling.

1. Clarifying Questions

2. Identifying the Inteview (not user) Aha Moment

3. First draft of a goal

4. User Segmentation (JTBD version)

If there is somewhere you are getting stuck and you need a drill, ping me and I will see what I can do to come up with one.