## How to Improve Calendly: A Guide for FAANG Interviews

This blog post will guide aspiring and seasoned product managers (PMs) on how to approach a common FAANG interview question: How would you improve Calendly? We’ll explore the S.T.A.R. framework and provide a step-by-step guide to help you articulate well-thought-out enhancements for popular products.

Picking a Framework

For questions about improving existing products, the S.T.A.R. (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework is highly effective. This framework allows you to focus on:

• Situation: The current state of Calendly, including its features and shortcomings.
• Task: A specific improvement task you want to address.
• Action: The decisions and changes you propose to implement.
• Result: The anticipated effects of your proposed actions.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Situation:

Describe Calendly’s current features and functionalities. Identify any shortcomings you’ve observed or gathered from user feedback.

2. Task:

Choose a specific improvement task. This could be enhancing the user interface, increasing scheduling flexibility, or integrating with additional platforms.

3. Action:

Propose specific features to achieve your chosen task. For example:

• An AI-driven scheduling assistant to optimize time slots.
• Increased customization options for branding purposes.
• Improved group event coordination features.
• Advanced analytics dashboard for power users.

4. Result:

Discuss the expected outcomes of your proposed actions. This could include improved user engagement, increased retention rates, or a boost in new user acquisition.

Hypothetical Example

Situation: Users find it difficult to schedule group meetings efficiently.

Task: Introduce a feature where users can propose multiple time options, and Calendly automatically determines the best slot based on responses.

Action: Develop a feature that allows users to:

• Propose multiple time options for group meetings.
• Set availability preferences for each option.
• Allow Calendly to automatically analyze responses and suggest the best time slot based on participant availability.

Result: This feature could lead to a 20% reduction in time taken to schedule group meetings and a 10% increase in user satisfaction ratings.

Facts Checks

Ensure your proposed improvements are technically feasible and align with user expectations. Research competitors and technological trends to validate your propositions.

Communication Tips

• Be clear about the feature you choose to improve.
• Articulate your suggestions in a way that demonstrates your understanding of both the product and its user base.
• Highlight how your proposed changes align with broader business goals, such as increased revenue or market presence.

Conclusion

By practicing and applying the S.T.A.R. framework, you can effectively approach questions about product enhancements in PM interviews. This framework allows you to offer innovative, user-centric, and strategically advantageous solutions for products like Calendly.