How would you build Facebook Birthday from scratch?

Introduction

Facebook Birthday is a core feature of the Facebook platform that reminds users of their friends' birthdays and facilitates social interactions around these events. To build this feature from scratch, we need to consider user needs, technical requirements, and the broader social media ecosystem. I'll approach this design challenge by first clarifying our objectives, then analyzing user segments and pain points, before proposing and prioritizing solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on the problem description, I'm assuming we're designing this feature for Facebook itself. Is that correct, or should we consider this for a different social media platform?

Why it matters: This affects our approach to integration with existing systems and user expectations. Expected answer: Yes, it's for Facebook. Impact on approach: We'll leverage Facebook's existing user base and infrastructure.

• Are we working with any specific time or resource constraints for this project?

Why it matters: This helps prioritize features and determine the scope of our initial release. Expected answer: Assume a 6-month timeline with a dedicated team. Impact on approach: We'll focus on core functionality first, with plans for future enhancements.

• Do we have access to any existing user research or data about how people currently interact with birthday-related features on Facebook?

Why it matters: This informs our understanding of user behavior and pain points. Expected answer: Yes, we have some basic usage statistics and user feedback. Impact on approach: We'll use this data to guide our initial design decisions and prioritize features.

Propose the Goal

Given Facebook's focus on connecting people and fostering meaningful interactions, I believe the goal of Facebook Birthday is to enhance personal connections by facilitating memorable birthday interactions between users. Does this align with your vision?

Define the Scope

For this product design challenge, should we focus on the core birthday reminder and interaction features, or should we also consider integration with other Facebook services like Events or Marketplace?

Based on your answers, I'll assume we're focusing on the core birthday features for Facebook, with a 6-month timeline and access to basic user data. We'll aim to enhance personal connections through birthday interactions.