Suppose you have 3 engineers. How would you allocate the 3 engineers between addressing hacked accounts and spam messages?

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive framework for addressing this product strategy question. I'll approach the answer as a seasoned VP of Product, speaking directly to the interviewer. Here's my response:

Thank you for presenting this interesting product strategy challenge. Before diving into the allocation of our three engineers between addressing hacked accounts and spam messages, I'd like to take a moment to ensure I fully understand the context and objectives. This will help me provide a more tailored and effective strategy.

Introduction

The core challenge here is optimizing the allocation of limited engineering resources (three engineers) between two critical areas: addressing hacked accounts and managing spam messages. This decision is crucial as it directly impacts user trust, platform integrity, and overall user experience.

My approach will be to:

1. Clarify our strategic goals
2. Analyze the current situation and impact of each issue
3. Develop a strategic framework for resource allocation
4. Propose an initial allocation strategy
5. Establish metrics and an iterative process for ongoing optimization

Let's begin by clarifying some key points to ensure our strategy aligns with the company's broader objectives.

Step 1

Clarify the Strategic Goals (3-4 minutes)

To make an informed decision, I'd like to clarify a few key areas:

• Primary Objective: What is our company's current primary focus - user growth, retention, or monetization?

Why this matters: The focus will influence our prioritization. For instance, if we're in a growth phase, we might lean towards addressing issues that could deter new users. Hypothetical answer: Let's assume our focus is on retention, given the nature of these security-related issues. Impact: This would suggest we prioritize maintaining trust with our existing user base.

• Product Lifecycle Stage: Where are we in our product lifecycle?

Why this matters: Early-stage products might prioritize differently than mature products. Hypothetical answer: Let's assume we're in a growth stage, but with a significant user base. Impact: We need to balance addressing immediate threats with scaling our solutions.

• Customer Segments: Are there specific user segments more affected by these issues?

Why this matters: We may need to prioritize protecting our most valuable or vulnerable users. Hypothetical answer: Let's assume our power users and business accounts are more likely targets for hacking. Impact: This might influence us to lean more resources towards addressing hacked accounts.

• Market Context: What's the competitive landscape like regarding security and spam management?

Why this matters: If competitors are excelling in these areas, we may need to catch up quickly. Hypothetical answer: Let's assume the industry is facing increased scrutiny on security issues. Impact: This underscores the importance of addressing both issues effectively.

• Resource Constraints: Besides the three engineers, are there other resources we can leverage?

Why this matters: Additional resources could influence our engineering allocation strategy. Hypothetical answer: Let's assume we have a small support team and some machine learning capabilities. Impact: We might be able to complement our engineering efforts with ML and support team triage.

Based on these assumptions, let's proceed with our analysis and strategy development.