Designing an Online Travel Booking Platform: A Step-by-Step Guide
Product management interviews often involve designing complex products or services. This blog post will guide you through answering the question: “How would you design an online travel booking platform similar to Expedia?” using the CIRCLES Method™ framework.
Applying the CIRCLES Method™
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Comprehend the Situation:
- Clarify the question and identify the platform’s goals.
- Consider customer needs, market trends, and business objectives.
- Example: The platform aims to simplify travel planning and booking for consumers while maximizing revenue and market share.
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Identify the Customer:
- Define your target users (e.g., solo travelers, families, business travelers).
- Create personas to understand specific user needs.
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Report the Customer’s Needs:
- List the needs of each persona.
- Example: Business travelers prioritize seamless booking and itinerary management, while families seek package deals.
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Cut Through Prioritization:
- Prioritize features based on impact and feasibility.
- Use the MoSCoW framework (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won’t have) to organize features.
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List Solutions:
- Brainstorm solutions for prioritized features.
- Must-have features: search functionality, secure payment systems, user accounts.
- Should-have features: reviews and recommendations.
- Could-have features: partnership deals.
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Scope MVP (Minimum Viable Product):
- Determine essential features for launch.
- Example MVP: flight/hotel/car booking, user profiles, basic recommendation engine.
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Tradeoffs:
- Discuss tradeoffs of chosen solutions.
- Example: An advanced recommendation system might delay launch but improve user experience and engagement.
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Summarize Your Answer:
- Recap your thought process and steps taken to design the solution.
- Ensure your solution addresses user needs and business goals comprehensively.
Example: If you lack precise data, estimate the number of hotels based on major cities and known chains. Start with 1000 hotels in 50 key cities for the initial launch.
Effective Communication:
- Articulate your thought process clearly.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Align your reasoning with business objectives.
- Use sketches or diagrams if helpful.
- Support your assertions with logical estimations or facts.
Conclusion
Product management interviews require structured thinking. By applying the CIRCLES Method™, you can systematically design complex services like Expedia. Remember to ground your solutions in user needs and business goals, and communicate your thought process effectively. Practice is key to mastering these frameworks and excelling in your interview.