Swap 'People you may know' with 'Products you may buy'. As a PM, how will you make a decision to swap an existing feature with a new feature without developing the new feature?

Introduction

The trade-off we're considering is swapping the 'People you may know' feature with 'Products you may buy' on our platform. This scenario involves replacing an existing social connection feature with a new e-commerce recommendation feature. My response will analyze the implications, metrics, and decision-making process for this potential change.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• What's the primary revenue model for our platform? (Ads, subscriptions, e-commerce?)

• Why it matters: Understanding the revenue model helps prioritize the potential impact of this change.
• Hypothetical answer: Let's assume it's primarily ad-based with a growing e-commerce component.
• Impact: This suggests we need to balance user engagement (for ad revenue) with direct product sales.

• What percentage of our users actively engage with the 'People you may know' feature?

• Why it matters: This helps quantify the potential disruption to user behavior.
• Hypothetical answer: Let's say 30% of users interact with it monthly.
• Impact: We need to consider how to maintain or improve engagement for this significant user segment.

• Do we have existing product recommendation capabilities we can leverage?

• Why it matters: This affects the technical feasibility and timeline of the swap.
• Hypothetical answer: Yes, we have a basic recommendation engine for our e-commerce section.
• Impact: We can potentially repurpose this technology, speeding up implementation.

• What's our current conversion rate for product recommendations in other areas of the platform?

• Why it matters: This provides a baseline for potential performance of the new feature.
• Hypothetical answer: Let's assume a 2% click-through rate and 0.5% purchase rate.
• Impact: These metrics will be crucial benchmarks for evaluating the success of the new feature.

• Is there a specific strategic initiative driving this potential change?

• Why it matters: Understanding the broader context helps align our decision-making with company goals.
• Hypothetical answer: The company aims to increase e-commerce revenue by 30% this year.
• Impact: This suggests we should prioritize metrics related to product discovery and purchases.