Case Interview Flashcards
Tenants of Good Design
Innovative
Useful
Understandable
Honest - does what it claims to do
Innovative
featuring new methods, introducing new ideas; solves a problem in a new and original way
Useful
Should aid the user in attaining their goals through it’s functionality; solves a problem or executes its purpose
Understandable
if a product requires inordinate instruction to be usable, something’s wrong
Approaching product design critique
Walk through the product/feature with the interviewer to make sure you’re on the same page
Reveal your design criteria; cap it to three principles
Explain how the product may or may not meet the criteria
Be specific; offering evidence and contrast with similar products
CIRCLES Method
Comprehend the Situation Identify the Customer Report the Customer’s Needs Cut through prioritization List Solutions Evaluate trade-offs Summarize your recommendation
Comprehend the Situation
Ask clarifying questions to fully understand the problem
What is it?
Who is it for?
Why do they need it?
How does it work?
What are the business goals? Constraints?
If an interviewer won’t answer your questions, make some assumptions and state them
Identify the Customer
Focus on a single customer segment or persona
Describe the customer’s persona, behaviors, demographics, and needs/goals
Report the Customer’s Needs
Describe the user’s story; this conveys what the user wants to do in everyday language
As a (user) I want (goal/desire), so that (benefit)
Cut through prioritization
Pick one use case based on your goals and constraints
Utilize a prioritization matrix based on various categories, such as:
Revenue, customer satisfaction, ease of implementation, ROI
List Solutions
Brainstorming frameworks with interviewers can help you arrive at solutions
Reversal method - reversing the situation to uncover new possibilities
Example: Create new car buying experience > Problem: buyers don’t have dealership time > Solution: dealers deliver test drives to buyer’s home
Attribute Method - list all product attributes; mix and match to get interesting new combinations
Design a new laundry hamper
Columns: Material, shape, finish, position
Why Method - challenge the status quo
Eg - Why should coffee cups have handles? Too hot to hold
Tips:
Think Big - interviewers are evaluating your creativity or product vision; ability to see future trends and execute a plan that exploits trends
Avoid: Me too ideas (copycat), Integration ideas (integrating two portfolio products)
Have at least three ideas - multiple ideas will mean you aren’t married to one, and can compare and contrast them for discussion purposes
Evaluate trade-offs
Define your trade-off criteria
Can be optional; eg - customer satisfaction, implementation difficulty, revenue potential
Analyze the solution
Utilize a pro/con list; allows you to come across as thoughtful, analytical, and objective
Summarize your recommendation
Tell the interviewer which product/feature you’d recommend
Recap on what it is and why it’s beneficial to the user and/or company
Explain why you preferred this solution vs. others
Five Whys
An iterative inquiry to determine a problem’s root cause
Can be used to diagnose problems with processes, proposed innovations, and existing customer solutions
Pricing Questions
Competitive Analysis - what is price of competitors offering?
Cost Based - cost + margin; breakeven analysis
Price Based - sets prices primarily according to the estimated value of a product to the customer; what is their willingness to pay?
AARM Metrics
Acquisition
Activation
Retention
Monetization
Acquisition
All about signing up users to a service; tracks lazy registrations
Lazy registrations - concept that you don’t have a sign-up form on your site but instead let the user try out your site for as long as they like and ask them for user data as part of their natural trajectory
Activation
Getting users to fully register; creating a login and/or completing a profile page
Retention
Getting users to use the service often and behave in a way that help the user of the business
Adding more info to profile page, checking news feed frequently, inviting friends
Monetization
Collecting revenue from users
Three Metrics Loops
Data loop
Adding more information; eg - adding a photo or list of favorite movies
Compulsion Loop
Checking an app frequently
Viral Loop
Inviting friends to try the service
Each loop reinforces the other
A/B Testing
A product decision-making method by comparing results between two different versions of a webpage or user experience
When faced with this dilemma, make the decision that is in line with the corporate strategic goal
Eg - if your top goal is quarterly profits, choose the feature that maximizes revenue at the expense of engagement
