Google Product Manager Interview Questions

Review this list of 391 Google product manager interview questions and answers verified by hiring managers and candidates.
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    Video answer for 'What's your favorite product and why?'
    +257

    "Clarify "What do you mean by favorite product? Are you thinking specifically hardware, software, or a feature within those, or something non-electronic? Dealer's Choice. "Are you asking why I love this product, or to explain why this product is a market leader independent of how i feel about it? Talk about why YOU love this product. Rephrase Question With all that in mind, i want to rephrase the question. "What is your favorite software product and what features in this product"

    Tim W. - "Clarify "What do you mean by favorite product? Are you thinking specifically hardware, software, or a feature within those, or something non-electronic? Dealer's Choice. "Are you asking why I love this product, or to explain why this product is a market leader independent of how i feel about it? Talk about why YOU love this product. Rephrase Question With all that in mind, i want to rephrase the question. "What is your favorite software product and what features in this product"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
    +2 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +24

    "Clarifications: Which aspect of birthday are we thinking about designing a product for? Birthday reminder, birthday planning, event management or birthday wishing?- People are generally reminded of their birthdays by their friends/family, social media, their own self awareness, so its not a critical problem to solve Social apps like FB have birthday wishing features for the larger audience & for wishing friends/family, people would generally call or wish in person Manag"

    Debajyoti B. - "Clarifications: Which aspect of birthday are we thinking about designing a product for? Birthday reminder, birthday planning, event management or birthday wishing?- People are generally reminded of their birthdays by their friends/family, social media, their own self awareness, so its not a critical problem to solve Social apps like FB have birthday wishing features for the larger audience & for wishing friends/family, people would generally call or wish in person Manag"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +79

    "My approach to dealing with difficult stakeholders has always been: Engage - Directly engage with the stakeholder, meet or chat Listen - Listen to what they have to say, patiently. Understand - Understand their POV, even if it is impossible at some times Ask - Ask clarifying questions. Why? When? What? Engage again - Keep them in the loop until there is closure For example, we were in the final stages of a very important, strategic project for our organization. I was leading th"

    Jane D. - "My approach to dealing with difficult stakeholders has always been: Engage - Directly engage with the stakeholder, meet or chat Listen - Listen to what they have to say, patiently. Understand - Understand their POV, even if it is impossible at some times Ask - Ask clarifying questions. Why? When? What? Engage again - Keep them in the loop until there is closure For example, we were in the final stages of a very important, strategic project for our organization. I was leading th"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Behavioral
    +8 more
  • +10

    "First, I’d want to clarify what’s driving the lack of adoption. I’d ask:What does “unclear roadmap” mean? Is this an internal issue where we’re not addressing customer pain points, or is it a matter of customers not understanding how to use the product? Is this feedback coming from all enterprise customers across verticals, or is it isolated to a specific group? How long has this been going on? Has it been over a quarter? Assuming this is a widespread issue impacting all customers"

    Noe L. - "First, I’d want to clarify what’s driving the lack of adoption. I’d ask:What does “unclear roadmap” mean? Is this an internal issue where we’re not addressing customer pain points, or is it a matter of customers not understanding how to use the product? Is this feedback coming from all enterprise customers across verticals, or is it isolated to a specific group? How long has this been going on? Has it been over a quarter? Assuming this is a widespread issue impacting all customers"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Execution
  • +36

    "Before we can delve into opportunities to increase revenue and create a roadmap for next 5 years, let's look at Spotify's Vision and Mission Statement Who are the key stakeholders currently in spotify's ecosystem and how does spotify make revenue What are some of the key market trends that impact the stakeholders in the spotify's ecosystem Spotify's Vision and Mission Statement Mission: Our mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity Vision: Spotify's vision is to be"

    Rushab S. - "Before we can delve into opportunities to increase revenue and create a roadmap for next 5 years, let's look at Spotify's Vision and Mission Statement Who are the key stakeholders currently in spotify's ecosystem and how does spotify make revenue What are some of the key market trends that impact the stakeholders in the spotify's ecosystem Spotify's Vision and Mission Statement Mission: Our mission is to unlock the potential of human creativity Vision: Spotify's vision is to be"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Strategy
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  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    Video answer for 'Tell me about a time you made a mistake.'
    +87

    "Let me tell you about a time where a website I managed suddenly showed slow performance and the mistake on our side was it was unnoticed until a user reported the issue to management. As a PM for that project, I took full responsibility of the situation and worked with the engineering team to quickly resolve it. This mistake taught me the importance of focusing and monitoring non functional requirements as well in addition to new feature development /adoption where I was mostly spending my time"

    Sreenisha S. - "Let me tell you about a time where a website I managed suddenly showed slow performance and the mistake on our side was it was unnoticed until a user reported the issue to management. As a PM for that project, I took full responsibility of the situation and worked with the engineering team to quickly resolve it. This mistake taught me the importance of focusing and monitoring non functional requirements as well in addition to new feature development /adoption where I was mostly spending my time"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Behavioral
    +6 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +27

    "Design a washing machine for Google Step 1: Building Context through clarifying questions Are we looking at building a complete washing machine(new line of business) or a connected app for washing machine like Android Auto? Any specific geography to look for Goal? Increase usage of any specific google product or introduce smart white goods hardware Step 2: Target users Individuals Single Family Couple Hotels Students Laundromats **Apartments/Studen"

    Anonymous Flamingo - "Design a washing machine for Google Step 1: Building Context through clarifying questions Are we looking at building a complete washing machine(new line of business) or a connected app for washing machine like Android Auto? Any specific geography to look for Goal? Increase usage of any specific google product or introduce smart white goods hardware Step 2: Target users Individuals Single Family Couple Hotels Students Laundromats **Apartments/Studen"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
  • +13

    "Hi Everyone, This is the first time I am putting up my answer on the forum. Would appreciate any type of improvement or feedback inputs. Thanks! Step 1 -> Clarifying Questions Is the product a physical product[services] or an application? Answer:- You can choose for yourself. I will choose to build an application Are the travellers both domestic[native] and international? Answer:- Yes Do I need to build upon something that already exists or can I think for an end-to-end solution? A"

    Pratiksha G. - "Hi Everyone, This is the first time I am putting up my answer on the forum. Would appreciate any type of improvement or feedback inputs. Thanks! Step 1 -> Clarifying Questions Is the product a physical product[services] or an application? Answer:- You can choose for yourself. I will choose to build an application Are the travellers both domestic[native] and international? Answer:- Yes Do I need to build upon something that already exists or can I think for an end-to-end solution? A"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
    +1 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +31

    "DoorDash - An online Food Ordering and Food Delivery Company. What is the Goal of the DoorDash? The goal is to empower local business and connect to the users. Who are the the different stakeholders involved to achieve this Goal for DoorDash? Users Restaurant Partners Delivery Partners What they need to do to achieve this goal? More users have to come on the platform for ordering Restaurants has to fulfil the requirement of maximum number of Users Delivery part"

    Anonymous Muskox - "DoorDash - An online Food Ordering and Food Delivery Company. What is the Goal of the DoorDash? The goal is to empower local business and connect to the users. Who are the the different stakeholders involved to achieve this Goal for DoorDash? Users Restaurant Partners Delivery Partners What they need to do to achieve this goal? More users have to come on the platform for ordering Restaurants has to fulfil the requirement of maximum number of Users Delivery part"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Analytical
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +24

    "Clarify: A new company that is coming up with a solution for garage door openers The door opener will be installed in houses. Confirm if offices, service centers etc are in the scope At this point, we are looking a specific demographic/market - India Users: People who own a car and a personal parking space. The distinction here : They have hired a watchman for the house They didnt hire a watch for the house For this problem, I will focus on those people who didnt hire a watchman"

    Sahil A. - "Clarify: A new company that is coming up with a solution for garage door openers The door opener will be installed in houses. Confirm if offices, service centers etc are in the scope At this point, we are looking a specific demographic/market - India Users: People who own a car and a personal parking space. The distinction here : They have hired a watchman for the house They didnt hire a watch for the house For this problem, I will focus on those people who didnt hire a watchman"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
  • +23

    "To convince leadership at Google to build a wristwatch for the elderly, it's crucial to present a compelling argument that encompasses user needs, market potential, and Google's strategic alignment. Here's a detailed proposal: 1. Understanding the User Needs Target Audience Primary Users: Elderly individuals, especially those with health conditions requiring monitoring and those living independently. Secondary Users: Family members and caregivers. **Pain Points"

    Gaurav M. - "To convince leadership at Google to build a wristwatch for the elderly, it's crucial to present a compelling argument that encompasses user needs, market potential, and Google's strategic alignment. Here's a detailed proposal: 1. Understanding the User Needs Target Audience Primary Users: Elderly individuals, especially those with health conditions requiring monitoring and those living independently. Secondary Users: Family members and caregivers. **Pain Points"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Strategy
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +60

    "I most want to communicate a few principals of conflict resolution that I believe were integral in this situation, which are mutual respect, a results orientation, an unwavering focus on the user. To that end, here’s how I’d like to structure this answer: First, I’ll tell you about the project we were working on, to provide some background for you. Second, I’ll describe the disagreement. Third, I’ll describe how we arrived at a solution, and finally, I’ll discuss how those 3 conflict resolut"

    Ross B. - "I most want to communicate a few principals of conflict resolution that I believe were integral in this situation, which are mutual respect, a results orientation, an unwavering focus on the user. To that end, here’s how I’d like to structure this answer: First, I’ll tell you about the project we were working on, to provide some background for you. Second, I’ll describe the disagreement. Third, I’ll describe how we arrived at a solution, and finally, I’ll discuss how those 3 conflict resolut"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Behavioral
    +5 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +14

    "Okay, so before we start discussing how to design this platform, I have a few questions I need details on. Clarification Questions: What do you mean by "Podcasting Platform"? Producing a platform and releasing it online takes several steps (Ideation, scripting, equipment selection, recording, editing, choosing a platform to release, etc.). Are we looking at any specific step here? - Free to Assume Am I PM at Google designing a Podcast Platform as a tool inside existing Google Pro"

    Pranay N. - "Okay, so before we start discussing how to design this platform, I have a few questions I need details on. Clarification Questions: What do you mean by "Podcasting Platform"? Producing a platform and releasing it online takes several steps (Ideation, scripting, equipment selection, recording, editing, choosing a platform to release, etc.). Are we looking at any specific step here? - Free to Assume Am I PM at Google designing a Podcast Platform as a tool inside existing Google Pro"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
    +1 more
  • +27

    "Observation This is an interesting question. The solution has two heads, meaning that the user must feel less guilty AND the solution must also increase revenue towards the platform. Structure The way I would approach this involves splitting the question into sequential steps. Why are users feeling guilty about using Instagram? What are some ways to make them feel less guilty? How can we monetize this? Clarification How do we define guilt? Is there a relevant subsector of"

    Justin G. - "Observation This is an interesting question. The solution has two heads, meaning that the user must feel less guilty AND the solution must also increase revenue towards the platform. Structure The way I would approach this involves splitting the question into sequential steps. Why are users feeling guilty about using Instagram? What are some ways to make them feel less guilty? How can we monetize this? Clarification How do we define guilt? Is there a relevant subsector of"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Strategy
  • "Sales Performance Dashboard t for sales leaders to monitor product performance: Sales Performance Dashboard Top-Level Metrics (KPI Summary) Time Filter: [Day] [Week] [Month] [Quarter] [Custom Range] Total Sales Revenue Displays total revenue for the selected period. Units Sold Breakdown by product category and SKU. Average Deal Size Total revenue ÷ Number of deals closed. Conversion Rate _Leads to sales conversion ratio."

    Syed A. - "Sales Performance Dashboard t for sales leaders to monitor product performance: Sales Performance Dashboard Top-Level Metrics (KPI Summary) Time Filter: [Day] [Week] [Month] [Quarter] [Custom Range] Total Sales Revenue Displays total revenue for the selected period. Units Sold Breakdown by product category and SKU. Average Deal Size Total revenue ÷ Number of deals closed. Conversion Rate _Leads to sales conversion ratio."See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
    +1 more
  • +27

    "We had a huge launch on September 1st of this year where we completely redesigned our application from the grounds up and also migrated to a new platform (React.JS). This project took us 8 months and the launch was a huge deal for the team. Unfortunately the launch wasn't as smooth as we expected and despite doing multiple rounds of QA, some major issues cropped up in the core part of the app right after launch and our client was quite upset since it was disrupting their day-to-day workflow. "

    Aabid S. - "We had a huge launch on September 1st of this year where we completely redesigned our application from the grounds up and also migrated to a new platform (React.JS). This project took us 8 months and the launch was a huge deal for the team. Unfortunately the launch wasn't as smooth as we expected and despite doing multiple rounds of QA, some major issues cropped up in the core part of the app right after launch and our client was quite upset since it was disrupting their day-to-day workflow. "See full answer

    Product Manager
    Behavioral
    +7 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    Video answer for 'Estimate the number of restaurants in San Francisco.'
    +56

    "Candidate: Before we go ahead I have a few clarifying questions, I’d like to ask. Interviewer: Sure. Candidate: What is the exact definition of a restaurant, are we counting coffee shops, bars, street food trolleys, homemade food shops that only has delivery to customers’ place and etc... kinds of a restaurant as well? Interviewer: let’s assume that we only mean restaurants that people can go inside, order some food and eat. Let’s not consider bars and coffee shops and so"

    Jasmin R. - "Candidate: Before we go ahead I have a few clarifying questions, I’d like to ask. Interviewer: Sure. Candidate: What is the exact definition of a restaurant, are we counting coffee shops, bars, street food trolleys, homemade food shops that only has delivery to customers’ place and etc... kinds of a restaurant as well? Interviewer: let’s assume that we only mean restaurants that people can go inside, order some food and eat. Let’s not consider bars and coffee shops and so"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Estimation
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +20

    "Assumptions & Clarifications This is a platform based on YouTube, and it can use associated Google Products like Gmail, GDocs, GSheets etc along with Youtube as a base platform. Do you have any specific goals with the platform? For instance, should this be the de facto platform for Universities K12 schools etc? Assumption is that it can be used by anyone. Let us first discuss the target users, and then arrive at appropriate goals that we can use to measure the adoption of the produc"

    Karthik M. - "Assumptions & Clarifications This is a platform based on YouTube, and it can use associated Google Products like Gmail, GDocs, GSheets etc along with Youtube as a base platform. Do you have any specific goals with the platform? For instance, should this be the de facto platform for Universities K12 schools etc? Assumption is that it can be used by anyone. Let us first discuss the target users, and then arrive at appropriate goals that we can use to measure the adoption of the produc"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
  • +42

    "A clarifying question: Is this question asking about when I met a tight deadline in a project or how did I manage a project that had a tight deadline? The answer uploaded to this question is good, I would also add 'creating a critical path from overall project schedule and then making sure that none of the deliverables in the critical path are sacrificed in order to meet the tight deadline' as an action taken."

    Ushita S. - "A clarifying question: Is this question asking about when I met a tight deadline in a project or how did I manage a project that had a tight deadline? The answer uploaded to this question is good, I would also add 'creating a critical path from overall project schedule and then making sure that none of the deliverables in the critical path are sacrificed in order to meet the tight deadline' as an action taken."See full answer

    Product Manager
    Behavioral
    +5 more
  • Google logoAsked at Google 
    +4

    "To build a product using Generative AI (Gen AI), the process would involve multiple steps, from conceptualization to deployment. Here's a structured approach : 1. Identify the Problem or Opportunity Start with the need or opportunity: What problem do you want to solve? Is it to automate tasks, generate content, enhance creativity, or improve user experience? Example products:A content creation tool that generates blog posts or articles. A personalized customer support chatbot"

    Maulik S. - "To build a product using Generative AI (Gen AI), the process would involve multiple steps, from conceptualization to deployment. Here's a structured approach : 1. Identify the Problem or Opportunity Start with the need or opportunity: What problem do you want to solve? Is it to automate tasks, generate content, enhance creativity, or improve user experience? Example products:A content creation tool that generates blog posts or articles. A personalized customer support chatbot"See full answer

    Product Manager
    Product Design
    +1 more
Showing 1-20 of 391