Netflix Product Manager Interview: Inactive Users

Summary

In a mock product management interview, Chloe Anna discusses strategies to address Netflix's 10% inactive user issue. She proposes a 'Netflix Wrapped' feature to re-engage users by highlighting past favorites and suggests leveraging user data for personalized content suggestions. Chloe emphasizes the importance of defining 'activity' and hypothesizes that users are bored, leading to her strategic approach. Metrics for success include weekly active users and content engagement post-implementation.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Chloe, the interviewee, is about to become an RPM at Facebook and is being interviewed for a hypothetical role as a PM at Netflix.
• 📉 The interview scenario presents a problem where 10% of Netflix users are inactive, and Chloe is tasked with addressing this issue.
• 🤔 Chloe begins by seeking clarification on what constitutes 'inactive' users and who can provide her with data to understand the problem better.
• 📝 She outlines a structured approach to tackle the problem, which includes quantifying the issue, proposing a game plan, and evaluating potential solutions.
• 🎯 Chloe identifies Netflix's mission as keeping users happy and entertained, setting a high-level objective to maintain a certain number of active users.
• 📈 She considers various factors that might affect user activity, such as new streaming services, changes in Netflix's interface, new content releases, and public sentiment on social media.
• 💡 Chloe hypothesizes that users may be inactive due to boredom and proposes several solutions, including a 'Netflix Wrapped' recap, new or revived content, and new features like a 'mood quiz'.
• 📊 To measure success, Chloe suggests metrics such as weekly active users and user engagement with content highlighted in the Netflix recap.
• 🚀 She emphasizes the importance of capturing user attention and getting them to log in as a prerequisite for increasing activity.
• 🔄 Chloe acknowledges the need to balance creative solutions with practical implementation, considering factors like production timelines and legal issues.
• 🌟 The interviewer provides feedback, commending Chloe's structured approach and goal-oriented thinking, while also suggesting additional metrics to consider, such as acquisition and retention rates.

Q & A

What is the main issue addressed in the mock interview?

The main issue addressed is that 10% of Netflix users are inactive, and the interviewee is tasked with proposing solutions to re-engage these users.

What is Chloe's initial approach to defining 'inactive' users?

Chloe suggests defining 'inactive' users as those who haven't logged in and watched content within a certain period, such as weeks or months.

How does Chloe plan to gather more information to quantify the problem?

Chloe plans to gather information by checking for new streaming services, changes in Netflix's platform, new content releases, global activity trends, and any negative publicity or discussions on social media.

What is Chloe's hypothesis for the cause of user inactivity?

Chloe hypothesizes that users might be inactive because they are bored with the content available on Netflix.

What are the potential solutions Chloe proposes to address the issue of inactivity?

Chloe proposes solutions such as a Netflix recap feature, introducing new or revived content, and implementing new features like an 'in the mood' quiz and a 'you used to love this' content row.

Why does Chloe consider the 'Netflix recap' feature as a potential solution?

The 'Netflix recap' feature is considered because it could remind users of the content they used to enjoy and potentially reignite their interest in using Netflix.

What metrics does Chloe suggest to measure the success of the proposed solutions?

Chloe suggests monitoring weekly active users and the engagement with content highlighted in the recap as key metrics to measure success.

What are some potential cons Chloe identifies with the proposed solutions?

Some potential cons include the possibility of the 'in the mood' quiz being annoying to users and the 'you used to love this' row going unnoticed among other content rows.

How does Chloe reflect on her own performance during the mock interview?

Chloe reflects that she should slow down, ask more clarifying questions, and ensure she is pacing herself and checking in with the interviewer throughout the discussion.

What feedback does the interviewer provide to Chloe regarding her approach to the mock interview?

The interviewer appreciates Chloe's goal-oriented approach and creative solutions but advises her to consider short-term solutions that can re-engage users who haven't logged in, and to also think about acquisition and retention metrics.