How to solve Product Improvement Cases in Product Sense Round?

If you’re prepping for product sense interviews, you’ve probably heard the dreaded question: “How would you improve [Product X]?” Maybe you’re thinking:

• “Where do I even start?”
• “How do I balance user needs with business goals?”
• “What if my solution sounds too basic… or too complicated?”

Take a deep breath. At NextSprints, we’ve helped 300+ candidates crack these interviews by focusing on structured thinking, user empathy, and business alignment. In this guide, I’ll walk you through a real-world case study—improving Facebook Dating—just like I would in a 1:1 coaching session. By the end, you’ll have a battle-tested framework, actionable examples, and the confidence to ace your next interview.

Let’s dive in!

Why Product Improvement Cases Matter (And Why 70% of Candidates Fail)

Before we jump into frameworks, let’s talk about why interviewers ask product improvement questions. They’re not looking for a “perfect” answer—they want to assess your ability to:

1. Break down ambiguous problems (e.g., “Improve Facebook Dating”).
2. Prioritize solutions that balance user needs, technical feasibility, and business impact.
3. Communicate clearly—even under pressure.

Most candidates fail because they:

• Rush to solutions without understanding the problem.
• Ignore metrics (e.g., proposing a feature without defining success).
• Overcomplicate the UX (simplicity is key!).

Here’s the good news: With the right framework, you can turn this weakness into your biggest strength.

The NextSprints Framework: A 5-Step Blueprint for Success

Over the past 3 years, we’ve refined this framework with input from FAANG PMs and hiring managers. Let’s break it down using a real case: “Improve Facebook Dating for young adults in the UK.”

Step 1: Clarify the Problem Like a Pro

Mentor Tip: Start by asking questions. Interviewers leave cases vague on purpose to test your critical thinking.

Example Response:

You: “Thanks for the interesting challenge! To make sure I’m aligned:

• Who’s the target user? Are we focusing on college students, young professionals, or a specific demographic?
• What’s the primary business goal? Increase user retention, reduce churn, or drive premium subscriptions?
• Are there any constraints? Technical limitations, budget, or timeline?”

Why This Works:

• Shows structured thinking and business acumen.
• Aligns your solution with the company’s priorities (e.g., Meta focuses on DAU/retention).

Real-World Example:
One of our mentees, Alex, was asked to “Improve Gmail’s spam filter.” He started by asking:

“Are we optimizing for casual users who get too much spam or power users who miss important emails?”

The interviewer revealed the focus was casual users. Alex proposed a one-click “Report Spam” button with AI learning—and landed the offer!

Step 2: Uncover User Pain Points (The Secret Sauce)

Mentor Tip: Channel your inner detective. Use User Journey Maps or Empathy Maps to identify frustrations.

Facebook Dating Case Study:
After clarifying the target users are UK-based 18–24-year-olds, we discovered:

1. Privacy Concerns: 65% of users worry about friends/family seeing their dating profile.
2. Irrelevant Matches: “Facebook Dating keeps suggesting people 50+ miles away!”
3. Ghosting Issues: 40% of matches never message due to awkward icebreakers.

How to Validate Pain Points:

• Analyze App Reviews: “Why does Facebook Dating suggest my coworkers?!”
• Conduct Surveys: “What’s your biggest frustration with dating apps?”
• Competitor Research: Hinge’s “Prompt Replies” reduce ghosting by 30%.

Step 3: Brainstorm Solutions (Then Kill Your Darlings)

Mentor Tip: Generate 10+ ideas, then prioritize ruthlessly. Use the MoSCoW Method:

Why We Prioritized Incognito Mode:

• Solves the #1 user pain point (privacy).
• Low effort (uses existing Facebook privacy infrastructure).
• Directly impacts retention (users won’t disable the app out of embarrassment).

Step 4: Design the Solution (Nail the “How”)

Mentor Tip: Always tie your solution to metrics. Interviewers love data-driven answers!

Feature: Incognito Mode for Facebook Dating

• User Flow:
  1. Toggle “Incognito Mode” in settings.
  2. Choose what to hide: Profile, name, or mutual friends.
  3. Matches only see interests and a generic username (e.g., “Hiker123”).
• Success Metrics:
  • Short-Term: 20% reduction in app uninstalls within 1 month.
  • Long-Term: 15% increase in daily active users (DAU).
• Edge Cases:
  • If a user un-toggles Incognito, ensure their profile updates seamlessly.
  • Prevent Incognito users from appearing in “People You May Know.”

Step 5: Validate and Iterate (Prove You’re Data-Driven)

Mentor Tip: Never present a solution without a validation plan.

For Incognito Mode:

• A/B Test: Roll out to 15% of UK users (test group vs. control group).
• Track Metrics:
  • Retention rate after 7/30 days.
  • User feedback (“How comfortable do you feel using Incognito Mode?”).
• Iteration Plan:
  • If users find the toggle confusing, simplify the UI (e.g., a toggle labeled “Hide Profile”).
  • If engagement drops, add a tooltip explaining benefits: “Use Incognito Mode to date privately!”

Common Mistakes to Avoid (From a FAANG PM’s Playbook)

1. The “Feature Factory” Trap: Don’t suggest random features. Every idea must solve a specific pain point or drive a business metric.

   • Bad: “Add video dating because TikTok does it.”
   • Good: “Add icebreakers to reduce ghosting, which improves retention.”

2. Ignoring Competitors: Facebook Dating competes with Tinder (USA) and Hinge (UK). Acknowledge their strengths:

   • “Tinder’s swipe mechanic is simple, but Facebook can leverage its social graph for better matches.”

3. Forgetting Scalability: A UK-focused feature should be expandable.

   • “Incognito Mode can later roll out to the USA and EU, where privacy concerns are high.”

Your Action Plan for Interview Success

1. Practice with Real Cases: Use NextSprints’ Product Interview Playbook (30,000+ solved cases, including Spotify, Uber, and Airbnb).
2. Join a Mock Interview Cohort: Get live feedback from FAANG PMs.
3. Master Storytelling: Frame answers as a narrative:
   • Problem → Research → Solution → Impact.

Pro Tip: Record yourself solving a case and ask:

• “Did I clarify the problem?”
• “Did I prioritize the right solution?”
• “Did I tie everything to metrics?”

FAQs: Answering Your Burning Questions

Q: How long each section should be?

A: Aim for 5–7 minutes. Focus on depth, not speed.

Q: What if I don’t know the company’s metrics?

A: Make an educated guess. For example:

• “Meta prioritizes DAU, so I’ll measure success by a 10% increase in daily logins.”

Q: How do I handle technical constraints?

A: Acknowledge them! Example:

• “While AI-driven matching would be ideal, a quick win could be letting users filter matches by interests.”

Final Words

You’ve got this. 🚀

Remember, interviewers aren’t looking for perfection—they want to see how you think, prioritize, and communicate. The next time you’re asked, “How would you improve Facebook Dating?” take a breath, smile, and walk them through your structured, user-centric approach.

And if you stumble? That’s okay. Even seasoned PMs iterate.

Loved This Guide? Here’s How to Go Further:

1. Share it with a friend prepping for PM interviews.
2. Book a 1:1 Coaching Session for personalized feedback.
3. Join NextSprints’ Community for weekly case breakdowns.

Your next career sprint starts now. Let’s crush it! 💪