Career Advice

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September 22, 2022

Most Asked Google Product Design Interview Questions

Hola, Product Designers! ✨

FAANG Product Design interviews are not easy to crack but not impossible to get through either. All it takes is a strong preparation strategy and some practice to ace them. Don't worry, because we've compiled a list of the most asked product design questions along with expert advice on how to respond and some sample answers too.

First, we'll go into great detail about a framework that will assist you in effectively responding to all questions on product design, as well as detailed answers that make use of that framework.

How To Answer Product Design Questions?

Use this three-step approach, called BUS framework, to answer product design questions :

Business Objective
User Problems
Solutions

Step One: Business Objective

Many applicants skip this point and begin unorganised defining design ideas. For interviewers, this raises a major red flag. Before considering user issues and potential solutions, you should examine the following:

Make the business circumstance and goal clear. Making future design decisions will be easier if you are aware of the business context and its goals. This is especially crucial if the interviewer's question is ambiguous.

Step Two: User Problems

It's time to consider the user issues in more detail now that you are more aware of the business condition and goals.

Select a User Type: If your interviewer has already identified a certain user group in their opening question, you can skip this section of the conversation.

List User Problems: You should now consider what challenges you can resolve for them. Envision them using the current product or service you're seeking to replace as a simple way to do this.

Prioritize User Problems: Third, you should prioritise one to three items from your lineup of problems. Prioritization usually depends on how uncomfortable a user finds a certain situation.

Step Three: Solutions

Once you've defined the user problems you are trying to solve, it's time to generate some solutions. Here's how to do it:

List Solutions: First, you need to come up with viable solutions for each of the user issues you've noted. As a standard practice, solutions are ranked from 1 (low) to 3 (high) according to the value they would provide to the user and their ease of implementation.

Summarize: After this, it's a good idea to restate the original question and briefly describe the product you recommend developing and your rationale for doing so. Using this concise summary, you can signal to the interviewer that you have finished responding to their question. And once more, it's a powerful approach to demonstrate that you have excellent communication abilities.

Also Read: How To Onboard Into Web 3 As A Designer

Google Product Design Interview Questions With Answers

Q- How Would You Design a Phone For Deaf People?

First, clarify the business objective considerations. Ask your interviewer:

"Are we aiming for partially deaf, fully deaf, or both? Mobile phones or another type of phone? Adults or people of all ages?"

Once you get the needed clarity, take a moment to identify the possible User Issues and then list them like this:

Hearing ringtones and text alerts are difficult.
Video calling is difficult due to low resolution or a spotty network.
It is difficult to sign while holding the phone with one hand.

Now, think of the solutions to the potential user issues and mention them like this:

Possible Solutions:

To indicate calls and texts, flashing LED lights and a strong vibration are used.
Front-facing camera with high resolution
Accessories and hands-free case

End your answer with: "This is a quick outline of how I would initiate designing a phone for deaf people. What do you think?"

Q- Design a Grocery Marketplace/App

First, clarify the business objective considerations. ask your interviewer:

"Is the grocery app affiliated with a specific store? Does it provide recommendations or help buy and deliver the groceries? Is the grocery app designed for the stores or the customers? Urban or rural users?"

Once you get the needed clarity, take a moment to identify the possible User Issues and then list them like this:

Consumers often don’t have the time to shop for groceries
Difficult to remember what to buy and find the right item among the aisles
Difficult to transfer a large amount of groceries from store to home

Now, think of the solutions to the potential user issues and mention them like this:

Possible Solutions:

Price comparison tool between different stores
Grocery list autofill or suggestions for related products
Delivery option

End your answer with: "This is a quick overview of how I would design a grocery marketplace. What do you think?"

Also Read: 7 Product Management Lessons Told Through Memes

Q- Two Fold: What's Your Favourite Product and Why? What Will You Improve In It?

Start with explaining your Favourite Product by giving an overview of its top features and usage. Here's how:

"One of my favorite products that I use almost daily is X, a workout tracker available on both mobile and desktop that allows me to create, track, and record weightlifting and cardio exercise sessions. X also has a social component. As part of their profile, users can track body measurements, share progress photos, and share the workouts they created. The "in-workout" experience is really smooth and allows me to focus on safely doing my exercises."

Then, mention why you like the product and how it makes your life better or easier:

"I like this Product because it gives me more efficiency while working out. Because the countdown timer tracks the overall time of my workout. I can easily gauge my progress throughout the past few months"

Close your answer by sharing insights on how would you improvise the product, like this:

"If I could improve X, I will start with adding-

Live tracking of outdoor cardio activities. I want to use GPS to track my runs and bike rides. I want better integration to track my swimming laps.
More exercises

New machines/apparatuses to record
Logic for increased variance in existing exercises

Adding wearable companion apps to track reps so the user doesn't have to input them manually.

I believe these additional features & modifications will make X even better."

How Does Your Design Process Typically Begin?

When sharing how you typically begin your design process, you might share multiple approaches to highlight your adaptability.

Example: "I typically begin my product design process with research and analysis. This helps me understand what other competitors are doing with their products and the perceptions consumers have about them. I also try to use this information to help identify challenges consumers face so I can identify how to solve them."

Some Tips To Nail Your Interview

Start With Clarifying Questions

On purpose, interviewers occasionally ask ambiguous questions. You're not obligated to answer straight away though. Always give yourself 15 to 30 seconds to consider any clarifications, such as "Can I wireframe this out first?" or "How detailed would you like the design to be?"

Proactively show a positive signal

Give background information about your job as you go along. This is a potent strategy employed by candidates to lessen the chances of disparaging remarks or information. Time is a factor, however, 30-second "tidbits" of information are typically beneficial.

Give context

Contextual remarks demonstrate to a potential employer that you are aware of the motivations behind your actions rather than simply carrying them out. The background you provide can significantly alter how you are seen.

Know how to get help

Most of the time, the interviewer will be happy to assist you, but occasionally, they simply detest the word "hint." Therefore, stating that "my assumptions are X and Y, I'm thinking about performing Z" would be a preferable strategy. But I'm having trouble coming up with a solution. Additional questions for group discussion include,

Do you think I’m going in the right direction?
Do you think my assumptions are incorrect?

With these questions & expert tips and tricks at your disposal, you should be more than prepared for your next product design interview. For more practice on how to land a Product Design job at a FAANG company, see this blog. And if you are looking to advance your skills, get in touch with our industry-leading mentors by booking a session who can help you prepare for free.