After listening to Diana Yao’s advice/playlist on Product Sense interviews, I made the following observations. Much of her framework overlaps my S.U.S.S. Framework but she shares a unique Meta-focus to her advice.

The Key Parts of the Product Sense Case

Strategy

• Trends

• Opportunities

• Strengths & Weaknesses

Users

• Map out Ecosystem

• Segment

• Prio

• Beware using too many things to rank

Tips

• Behavior is better than Demo (see my article on User Segments)

• MECE User Groupings

• Avoid super Niche (I don’t always agree here)

• Noticeably different pain points

  • Specialty vs Generalist

Which Segments to Prioritize

• TAM (I don’t go for this first, I think underserved trumps this)

• Freq of Use

• Underserved Population

• Spend >> rev potential

Pain Points

• User Journey

• ID Pain Points

• Prio Pain

Prio Pain Points 

• TAM

• How painful

• The Competition

Note: Multiple pain points are OK but I have found FB interviewers 

Solutions: 

Pain Points

Trends

Borrow from other verticals

Note: I like the thinking big exercises

Common Problems

1. Too scripted

2. Too many questions

   1. Qs that don’t matter >> tight constraints >> Mobile, etc

   2. Good Qs: Competition >> during Covid

   3. Share Structure

      1. Don’t over scope >> don’t add metrics (but it can come up so practice)

3. Too much nudging required

4. Decisions sound subjective

Framework

1. Motivation

2. User Segmentation

3. Pain Points

4. Solutions

Motivation 

• If they say you decide between company x and startup, explain strategic reasoning for picking

Four Reasons

1. Aligned with Mission

2. Strengths of Company

3. Market Opportunity (think TAM)

4. Competitive Advantage

MORE ON USERS

User Segmentation

• Multisided

• Avoid Subjective Criteria >> Quantify

• Objective would be

  • Size

  • Freq

  • Willingness to spend

• Not MECE

Pain Points

• Needs vs Pain Points

• Objective vs Subjective Reasons to Prioritize

• - criteria: largest impact (TAM) , no strong solution in market

• I also like frequency & severity

Solutions

• Don’t smush tech + idea >> integrate

• Avoid already existing products

What interviewers are testing:

• How you think

• Qs you ask

• Convergent & Divergent Thinking

• Strong Rationale

Diana’s Framework for Meta Product Sense

• Mission

• Target Users

• User Journey & Pain Points

• Solutions

1. Info Gathering

2. Structure

3. Prio

4. User Empathy

5. Brainstorming

Info Gathering

1. Opportunities

2. Trend

3. Competition

4. Strengths

5. Structure

Structure

1. Target >> Branch & Leaf >> org thoughts

Empathy 

1. Show you feel the pain

Criteria

1. Size

2. Underserved

3. Freq

4. Urgency

Brainstorm 

• Granular Pain Points are easier to work with >> helps better ideas

Favorite Product

• Methodical about the pain points it is solving for me

• Key Top Goals for Company

• Features that can help a company grow

Strategy Questions: 

• Mission

• Investments

• Strengths

• Goal Optimization

  • New customers

  • Existing customers > Engagement

  • Existing customers > Monetization

  • Innovation

  • Cost Cutting

Ecosystem & Opportunities

• Users

  • New > not using yet

  • Monetize > willingness to pay

  • Existing > who are your customers

  • Innovation > What is next

  • Cost > what is driving costs

• Think Ambitious an Long Term

Option 1

1. Users

2. Trends

3. Competitors

4. Opportunities (related to strengths)

Option 2

1. Strategic Narrative

2. 2-5 year roadmap

3. How to start

4. Risks