You have been made the PM of Payments at Google and have been tasked with building a product for very busy people. How would you design it?

Introduction

As the new PM of Payments at Google, I'm tasked with designing a product for very busy people. This challenge aligns perfectly with Google's mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. I'll approach this by first clarifying the problem space, then diving into user segments, pain points, and potential solutions.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Given that we're focusing on Google Payments, I assume we're looking to enhance or create a new feature within Google Pay. Is that correct?

Why it matters: This helps frame our solution within Google's existing ecosystem. Expected answer: Yes, we're working within the Google Pay framework. Impact on approach: We'll leverage Google Pay's existing infrastructure and user base.

• When we say "very busy people," are we primarily targeting professionals in urban areas, or is this a broader demographic?

Why it matters: This will significantly influence our user segmentation and feature prioritization. Expected answer: It's a broad demographic, but skews towards urban professionals. Impact on approach: We'll need to design for flexibility and efficiency across various lifestyles.

• Are there any specific pain points or user feedback from Google Pay that we should be addressing?

Why it matters: This will help us align our solution with existing user needs and company priorities. Expected answer: Yes, users have expressed frustration with the time it takes to complete transactions. Impact on approach: We'll focus on streamlining the payment process and reducing friction.

Propose the Goal

Given Google's focus on user-centric solutions, I believe our goal should be to create a payment feature within Google Pay that significantly reduces transaction time and complexity for busy users. Does this align with your vision?

Define the Scope

For this product design challenge, should we focus on enhancing the in-store payment experience, or should we consider a broader scope including online and peer-to-peer transactions?

Based on your answers, I'll assume we're focusing on enhancing Google Pay for busy urban professionals, with an emphasis on reducing transaction time across various payment scenarios.