Product Manager Mock Interview: Facebook Friend Requests are Down 10% (with Meta PM)

Summary

In this mock product management interview, Lauren, a PM at Meta, tackles the sudden 10% decline in Facebook friend requests. She systematically explores potential causes through root cause analysis, considering internal factors, user behavior, market changes, and new regulations. Identifying competition from TikTok and a European privacy law as key issues, she proposes strategies to address the problem, emphasizing the need for creative solutions and proactive marketing responses.

Takeaways

• 😀 The mock interview scenario involves a 10% drop in friend requests on Facebook overnight, prompting a need for root cause analysis.
• 🔍 The interviewee, Lauren, suggests a systematic approach to identify the root cause, including segmentation and potential root causes like contextual, internal, and external factors.
• 📊 The problem is not restricted to a specific time period or platform; it's a sudden drop across all platforms in the US.
• 👥 Lauren emphasizes the importance of checking internal systems for any issues, such as product instability or code changes that might have affected the feature.
• 🔄 She also considers external factors like changes in user behavior, market landscape, and competitor behavior, specifically noting the rise of TikTok as a social platform.
• 📉 The interview discusses the impact of a new data privacy law in Europe that affects Facebook's operability, potentially contributing to the drop in friend requests.
• 🛑 The team is not aware of any immediate user reports or logging issues that suggest a problem with the friend request feature.
• 📉 The possibility of decreased marketing efforts by Facebook coinciding with the drop in friend requests is considered as a contributing factor.
• 🤝 Lauren recommends working closely with privacy teams, lawyers, and local designers to understand and navigate the new regulations and to revamp the product accordingly.
• 📈 For long-term strategy, she suggests enhancing marketing efforts and staying proactive with PR and regulatory changes to mitigate similar issues in the future.
• 💡 The interview concludes with advice on using a framework for root cause analysis, leveraging outside knowledge creatively, and being prepared to discuss various scenarios and mitigation strategies.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the mock interview in the video?

The primary focus of the mock interview is to address a hypothetical situation where friend requests on Facebook have dropped by 10% overnight, and to determine the root cause of this drop.

Who is conducting the mock interview and what is their role?

The mock interview is conducted by Kevin Way, who is facilitating the discussion and providing scenarios to Lauren, a PM at Meta, to assess her problem-solving skills in product management.

What is the initial approach suggested by Lauren to tackle the friend requests drop issue?

Lauren suggests an initial approach of root cause analysis, which involves asking follow-up questions to understand the segmentation and potential root causes, categorized as contextual, internal, and external.

What specific information does Lauren request to better understand the friend requests drop?

Lauren requests information about the geographical segmentation, platform specifics (iOS, Android, mobile web), and whether the drop is limited to friend requests or extends to other areas.

How does Lauren address the possibility of internal issues causing the drop in friend requests?

Lauren inquires about any overnight product instability, code issues, user logging reports, and changes in product prioritization that could have affected the friend request feature.

What external factors does Lauren consider that might have led to the decrease in friend requests?

Lauren considers changes in user behavior, market landscape, competitor behavior, and new regulations or laws that might have affected the platform's operability.

What is the significance of the data quality check in this scenario?

The data quality check is significant to ensure that the reported 10% drop in friend requests is accurate and not due to issues with data collection or reporting.

How does Lauren handle the unexpected scenario where multiple factors are contributing to the problem?

Lauren handles the scenario by considering each factor (marketing, competitors, regulators) and discussing potential strategies to address each one, while also planning for future mitigation.

What steps does Lauren propose to work around the new data privacy law affecting the platform?

Lauren proposes collaborating with the privacy team and lawyers to understand the impact of the law on user flow, brainstorming solutions, and potentially creating a new UI flow for testing in a future update.

What strategies does Lauren discuss to mitigate the impact of competitors like TikTok on friend requests?

Lauren discusses the importance of increasing the marketing budget and aligning marketing efforts with product updates to regain user engagement, especially in light of competitors' shifts towards social features.

What advice does Lauren give to the audience on approaching root cause analysis questions in interviews?

Lauren advises the audience to use a framework to organize their thoughts and questions, connect information given by the interviewer, use outside knowledge to add uniqueness to their responses, and be prepared to discuss various scenarios and mitigation strategies.