Improving LinkedIn’s Onboarding Flow: A Structured Approach for FAANG PM Interviews

Welcome to our focused discussion for aspiring product managers (PMs) looking to shine in FAANG interviews. The job of a PM is to meticulously dissect and provide solutions to product-related questions – something frequently tested in interviews. Today, we will tackle one such question using structured frameworks as our guiding star: “Improve LinkedIn’s onboarding flow.”

As we progress, remember that these frameworks are your best allies in crafting concise, compelling responses during your interview sessions.

Detailed Guide on Framework Application

Choosing the Right Framework

For improving an onboarding flow, the Goals-Signals-Metrics (GSM) framework is highly effective. It focuses on what the product aims to achieve (Goals), how it will know it’s succeeding (Signals), and how it quantifies success (Metrics).

Applying the GSM Framework

1. Define the Goals:

   Start by identifying the overarching goals for LinkedIn’s onboarding flow. For example, the goals might be to increase user engagement, educate new members about LinkedIn features, and encourage profile completion for better networking opportunities.

2. Distinguish the Signals:

   Determine the key signals that indicate success towards the goals. If the goal is to improve engagement, a signal could be the number of new connections made in the first week. For education on features, the signal might be the utilization rate of those features by new users.

3. Outline the Metrics:

   Metrics are quantitative indicators of the signals. If connections made are a signal, the metric could be the average number of connections per new user. If feature utilization is the signal, the metric can be the percentage of users who use a particular feature within their first month.

Sample Answer Construction

Here’s a hypothetical example of a structured response:

"Upon reviewing LinkedIn's current onboarding flow, my goal is to enhance user engagement, which is central to LinkedIn's networking ethos. The signal I would focus on is the frequency of user interactions such as messages sent or posts liked, with the metric being the average number of these interactions per user within the first week. To boost these numbers, I might propose more intuitive prompts or tutorial content that showcases networking features early in the onboarding process."

Fact Checks and Approximations

When available, utilize real data but if not, approximate sensibly. It’s reasonable to speculate that a robust profile increases networking opportunities, as does active engagement in content sharing and community participation.

Communicating Effectively

Be concise, use clear language, and articulate how your solution aligns with LinkedIn’s business goals and user needs. Demonstrate empathy for new users, showing you understand the potential friction points. Additionally, narrate your thought process to give the interviewer insight into how you approach problems.

Conclusion

The key takeaway is to utilize a structured approach like the GSM framework to answer product improvement questions. Focus on being user-centric, data-informed, and aligned with the business’s overall goals. Practicing with frameworks like GSM will fortify your ability to construct robust responses in FAANG PM interviews. Good luck!