Discontinuing a Feature: A PM Interview Guide
This post delves into a crucial aspect of product management: deciding when to discontinue a feature. During PM interviews, you might encounter questions like, “Tell me about a time you had to let go of a feature you were working on.” Successful applicants often utilize structured frameworks to articulate their thought process effectively. Let’s explore how to leverage these strategies to answer this question.
Framework Application: A Detailed Guide
Choosing the Right Framework
For retrospective questions, the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework is ideal. It guides you through narrating experiences in a coherent and impactful way.
Step-by-Step Framework Application
- Situation: Set the scene. Describe the project or feature and its initial purpose.
- Task: Explain your role in the project and what you aimed to achieve with the feature.
- Action: Detail the steps you took to evaluate the feature’s performance and your decision-making process to sunset it.
- Result: Share the outcome. How did the decision benefit the product or company?
Hypothetical Example
Imagine you, as a PM for a social media app, led the creation of an augmented reality feature. Despite initial excitement, user engagement was low. After gathering data, you recommended de-prioritization of the feature, reallocating resources to more impactful areas, ultimately leading to increased overall user engagement.
Facts Check and Assumptions
Use concrete data to support your narrative. If specific figures are not available, use industry norms or reasonable estimates. For instance, describe the expected engagement rates for social media features and compare them to the actual performance of the discontinued feature.
Effective Communication Tips
- Focus on fact-based storytelling.
- Highlight your collaborative approach and stakeholder management.
- Be transparent about the lessons learned.
- Balance humility with showcasing your leadership.
Conclusion
Explaining your decision to sunset a feature allows you to demonstrate your strategic thinking and ability to make tough calls for the greater good. Practicing with the STAR framework ensures you share these experiences compellingly, evidencing your suitability for a PM role in any top tech company.