Using your Intuition to Answer PM Interview Questions
PM candidates get so obsessed with using “approved” frameworks that they forget their intuition. Sometimes it is okay to leave behind the framework and work from your intuition to answer case questions.
In fact, if you practice the frameworks enough, you will develop an intuition you can use during interviews without obsessing about remembering the frameworks. .
Here I ask you to try moving backwards from your intuitive answer to practice case interviewing.
How do we use our intuition to turn opinions into objective thought?
There are two ways to approach decision-making:
1. Top-down: define the decision criteria first, then brainstorm options and weigh them against the criteria.
2. Bottoms-up: start with the intuitive answer and work backwards to figure out the criteria you haven’t yet been able to articulate.
How?
Start with what your intuition is telling you.
Give yourself a second and ask, why are you thinking this is the right path?
Who are you solving for?
Why are you gravitating to that user and problem space?
Then, quickly map out on your paper or in your notes:
Strategy: What are the top 2 or 3 reasons this makes sense strategically?
Who: Who are the users I am ignoring in this approach? List two of them and you have your three groupings
Goal: What goal would drive you if this was a startup?
What is their job to be done: Walk through how your core users are trying to solve their problem today.
Worst Pain Points: List a few pain points you outlined above
Solutions: If you know your solution, what are the ideas either around, above, or below your idea. All you need is two more.
Success Metrics: How do you measure if this idea gets you to your goals?
There you have it, you have worked backwards from your instincts to the framework they interviewer needs you to use so they can follow your logic.
Give it a try in your next mock.
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