How would you redesign Facebook Events from the ground up?

Thank you for providing such a comprehensive framework for addressing this product strategy question. I'll use this structure to answer the question about redesigning Facebook Events from the ground up. I'll present my response as if I'm directly addressing the interviewer, using a first-person perspective and maintaining a professional tone throughout.

Introduction

The strategic challenge at hand is to redesign Facebook Events from the ground up. This presents an opportunity to reimagine how people discover, plan, and engage with events in the digital age. Our primary business objectives will be to increase user engagement, drive platform growth, and potentially unlock new revenue streams.

To tackle this challenge, I'll follow a structured approach:

1. Clarify strategic goals
2. Analyze the market and competition
3. Define our product vision and roadmap
4. Prioritize key initiatives
5. Outline an execution plan
6. Establish metrics and KPIs
7. Address risk management
8. Summarize and propose next steps

Let's begin by aligning on our strategic goals.

Step 1

Clarify the Strategic Goals (3-4 minutes)

• Based on Facebook's position as a mature social platform, I'm assuming Events is a core feature that needs revitalization. Could you confirm if the primary objective here is to drive increased engagement and retention on the platform through Events, or are we looking at this as a potential new revenue stream?

Why it matters: This will determine whether we focus more on user experience improvements or monetization strategies. Expected answer: Primarily focused on engagement and retention, with potential for future monetization. Impact on approach: Would prioritize features that increase daily active users and time spent on the platform.

• Given the evolving landscape of virtual and hybrid events post-pandemic, are we looking to position Facebook Events as a leader in this space, or are we primarily focused on enhancing in-person event discovery and management?

Why it matters: This will guide our feature set and potential partnerships or integrations. Expected answer: A balanced approach, with a slight emphasis on in-person events to leverage Facebook's local network effects. Impact on approach: Would focus on features that bridge online and offline experiences, with robust support for in-person events.

• Considering Facebook's vast user base, are we targeting any specific demographic or user segment with this redesign, or is the goal to improve the experience for all users globally?

Why it matters: This will influence our design decisions and feature prioritization. Expected answer: Broad appeal, but with a focus on increasing engagement among younger users (18-34) who may be more active in event discovery and attendance. Impact on approach: Would incorporate features and design elements that appeal to younger users while maintaining usability for all demographics.

Based on these assumptions, our strategic approach will focus on:

1. Enhancing user engagement and retention through improved event discovery and management.
2. Balancing support for both in-person and virtual/hybrid events, with a slight emphasis on in-person experiences.
3. Designing for broad appeal with features that particularly resonate with younger users.