The most important clarifying questions you ask in a product case interview are about the prompt itself. Diagraming prompts help you find the right clarifying questions to ask.

The Good Clarifying Questions

• Focus on the key elements of the prompt.

• Ask questions that need you to determine the insights, user segments, and solutions.

• Starting with the core words in the prompt is the best way to do this.

• Show the interviewer you understand the point of the question.

• Don’t sound robotic and memorized.

Example: Design a refrigerator for the blind.

The only words here that matter are refrigerator and blind. Your questions should be something like this:

1. When you say a refrigerator, you are talking about a unit typically located in the kitchen of a home that holds cold as well as frozen items. Is that correct?

2. When you say blind, do you want me to focus on any particular segment of the blind community, such as totally blind vs. partially blind? Or those living alone vs. those living with others? Or would you prefer I decide and explain my assumptions?

Common Mistakes with Clarifying Questions

• Starting with location

• Starting with vague questions about startups and budget

• Asking to be handed the goal

• Or, worse, asking point blank, “ Who are the users we are focused on?”

• And they typically ask these questions in a fishing manner. 

• And they go through these questions as if going through a checklist they have memorized, and they are on autopilot.

Why are these bad question choices?

• Location:  Many solutions are universal; jumping to location without thinking will start your interview off on the wrong foot.

• Budget:  The point of these prompts is to think big; rarely does budget play into a design case. But if you are going to ask about it, do so strategically and not by fishing.

• Goal:  The point of these prompts is to see if you can take a vague idea and identify why it is necessary, what a goal should be, who you should focus on, what they need, and design some solutions or features. If you ask for the goal, you are asking the interviewer to hand you the bulk of the answer. Again, you are starting off on the wrong foot.

• Users:  See above. One of the critical elements in a product case is seeing if you can identify the users. ONLY ask who the users are in a strategic way to show you are thinking about possible user segments.

Works for Strategy Too

This methodology also works for strategic questions as well.

For example: Should Google put tablets in restaurants?

Should Google put tablets in restaurants?

1. Google - Is this for any particular part of Google, for example, Search, Pixel Hardware team, or Google Pay? Or do you want me to make some assumptions and share them?

2. Put - Does this mean Google is considering selling or subsidizing the tablets?

3. Tablets - Do you mean Pixel tablets? Or are you thinking about partnering with Samsung or other manufacturers of tablets?

4. Restaurants - Do you mean the front or back of the house? Fast or Fast-Casual? OR do you want me to decide and share my logic?

Notice the proposed questions are strategic, never fishing.