Facebook is considering building something for conferences during covid. How would you design it?

Introduction

Designing a conference solution for Facebook during COVID-19 presents a unique opportunity to address the challenges of virtual events. I'll approach this by first clarifying our objectives, then analyzing user segments and pain points, before proposing and prioritizing solutions. Let's dive in.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on the problem description, I'm thinking this might be for Facebook's existing product ecosystem. Is that correct?

Why it matters: Helps frame the solution within Facebook's constraints and leverage existing resources. Expected answer: Yes, working within Facebook's ecosystem. Impact on approach: Would leverage Facebook's user base and align with current product suite.

• Given Facebook's focus on social connectivity, I believe the goal is to create a virtual conference experience that maintains the networking and engagement aspects of in-person events. Does this align with your vision?

Why it matters: Ensures our solution aligns with Facebook's core mission. Expected answer: Yes, focusing on social interaction and engagement. Impact on approach: Would prioritize features that facilitate networking and interactive experiences.

• Are we considering this as a standalone product or an integration into existing Facebook features like Groups or Events?

Why it matters: Determines the scope and integration requirements of our solution. Expected answer: Integration with existing features. Impact on approach: Would focus on leveraging and enhancing current Facebook functionalities.

• Do we have any existing user research or data on how Facebook users have been using the platform for virtual events during COVID-19?

Why it matters: Helps inform our understanding of user needs and current behavior. Expected answer: Some preliminary data available. Impact on approach: Would use this data to validate assumptions and inform feature prioritization.

Propose the Goal

Given Facebook's focus on social connectivity, I believe our goal is to create a virtual conference solution that replicates the networking and engagement aspects of in-person events while leveraging Facebook's existing user base and features. Does this align with your vision?

Define the Scope

For this product design challenge, should we focus on enhancing Facebook Events and Groups to support virtual conferences, rather than creating a completely new standalone product?

Based on your answers, I'll assume we're working within Facebook's ecosystem, focusing on enhancing existing features to support virtual conferences, with a primary goal of facilitating engagement and networking.