FAQ (Part 1 of 2): How do I come up with more creative solutions in Product Sense questions?
Why Thinking Creatively Feels Hard
Let's take a step back, why does thinking creatively and outside the box feel hard? Likely because you don't use this part of you that often...
This means that you'd need to force yourself to not do things the familiar way.
Creativity in Product Sense Is Not Just in the 2nd Half of the Interview
Most people assume that the creativity is something you show in the 2nd half of Product Sense, but it is something that should be demonstrated throughout Product Sense, not just the 2nd half.
And that is where most candidates rely on standardized frameworks and approaches to segment the problem space, without thinking through the CRUX or ESSENCE of the problem.
When segmentation is done in a superficial and robotic way, there will be no creativity.
An Example: Selling High-Ticket Art
Let's use an example: help art galleries sell art 🖼 and let's assume art is high ticket.
Most candidates would focus on the surface level problems:
Discovery -> add to art -> shipping/logistics.
This would lead to a typical marketplace/ecommerce solution with some filtering and recommendation capabilities.
How to Double-Check Your Answers
Most candidates also don't know how to double check their answers.
If your solution sounds like it can also be used to sell shoes/socks/clothes and other low ticket items, then something is missing, and this is how you can double check your answers and try to rework it.
Understanding the Crux of the Problem
What is the CRUX and ESSENCE of selling art?
Given that art is higher ticket, what does this mean to the purchase behavior vs buying lower ticket?
How do you buy a car compared to buying shoes?
The consideration phase is much longer for high ticket purchases. So let's design around this.
Demonstrating Creativity Throughout the Interview
This is an example of how you can think more creatively.
Creativity is not just something we try to demonstrate when we solution;
It should be demonstrated throughout the interview, starting with how you set context and segment the problem space.
Knowledge vs Application
Most people can see the difference between identifying the CRUX and ESSENCE of problem vs staying surface level
But what happens next is that they don’t know HOW to apply it to other case questions. 😐
Often times it feels foreign to do because the techniques shared here requires deep thinking and strategic thinking, which is different from the education that is widely available today.
I believe that anyone CAN do this... but they might take twice as long, and have detours and dead ends if they don't have the support along the way.
And this is one of the many reasons why I'm inviting you to join me and other Product leaders in acing L6+ PM interviews, and finish 2024 strong.
|
I help Product leaders ace L6+ interviews in top Tech companies.
Would you like to join us, and reserve your seat before the price goes up end of the year?
Holiday Special
|
|
When you join us now, you'll also get world-class MIT and Harvard-trained negotiator Gerta Malaj in your corner for 2025, to help you negotiate and increase your offer by 5-6 figures.
Pay nothing unless she increases your offer, plus get 10% off her usual success fee (15% of what she adds to your offer).
|
|
