Estimating the Cost to Rebuild Google Maps Street View in New York City: A Structured Approach

Introduction

Welcome to the world of product management interview questions, a crucial step in securing a role at top tech companies like Google. In this post, we’ll explore the importance of structured frameworks when tackling challenging interview inquiries. We’ll then tackle the intriguing question of estimating the cost to rebuild New York City’s Google Maps Street View from scratch, a scenario that demands strategic and effective thinking.

Detailed Guide on Framework Application

CIRCLES Method™

For this question, we’ll utilize the CIRCLES Method™, a popular framework detailed in ‘Decode and Conquer.’ Let’s break down the approach:

1. Comprehend the Situation: Begin by understanding the depth of the problem – in this case, the loss of all Street View data for New York City.
2. Identify the Customer: Next, determine who is affected: users, Google itself, and entities relying on this data.
3. Report the Customer’s Needs: What needs to be accomplished to replace the missing data? Recapture images, update maps, and restore the user experience.
4. Cut Through Prioritization: Prioritize the most critical areas to cover first based on usage statistics and importance.
5. List Solutions: Identify possible solutions such as redeploying Street View cars or using alternative imagery sources.
6. Evaluate Trade-offs: Assess the pluses and minuses of each solution, considering factors such as cost and time.
7. Summarize Recommendations: Finalize with recommending the optimal solution based on the evaluated trade-offs.

Estimating Costs

When asked to estimate costs, break down the required tasks. Consider the number of streets, time per mile, vehicle operation cost, and manpower expenses.

Hypothetical Example

New York City has approximately 6,000 miles of streets. If each Street View car can cover 150 miles per day, you would need around 40 days of constant driving. With the costs of drivers, fuel, and vehicle amortization (estimated at $500 per vehicle per day), the cost for one car over the project would be around $20,000.

Summarizing these rough calculations, the initial cost estimate for Street View data recollection might be a few hundred thousand dollars, excluding unexpected expenses and overheads.

Communication Tips

Convey your thoughts clearly and logically, demonstrating your ability to think through problems methodically. Be transparent in your estimations and acknowledge uncertainties and assumptions in your calculations.

Conclusion

The key to excelling at this question is to showcase your analytical and structured thought process. By applying the CIRCLES Method™, you can offer a logical answer that addresses both the immediate problem and the necessary steps to remedy it. Remember, practice makes perfect, so utilize these frameworks often as you prepare for your FAANG interviews.