How would you measure the success of Google Docs? - Google PM Interview
Google PM Interview: How would you measure the success of Google Docs?
Let’s get started with the solution -
Interview Tip: Always remember to follow the framework. Jumping right into defining metrics is not the best way to answer this type of questions.
How to Answer a Product Metrics Question?
The key to correctly answering a Product Metric Question is following a structured framework.
Here is a step by step framework, you can follow while answering Product Metrics questions in Product Management Interviews :
Describe the Product.
Ask Clarifying Questions
Define the feature Goals you want to achieve
Describe the User Journey of the feature
Define the Metrics for each step of the User Journey
Evaluate and Prioritize the Metrics
Summarize your answer
Now, let’s go through each of the above points and understand them in details,
Step 1: Describe the Product & it’s Features
To start off in the right direction, you need to explain your understanding of the product – what does it do, who uses it, and how.
“Google Docs is a cloud-based word processing application developed by Google. It is part of the broader Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) suite of productivity tools. Launched in 2006, Google Docs provides users with a versatile platform for creating, editing, and collaborating on documents entirely within a web browser. The primary focus of Google Docs is to offer a seamless and collaborative environment for creating text-based documents, such as articles, essays, reports, and more.”
Key Features:
Real-Time Collaboration: One of the standout features of Google Docs is its real-time collaboration capabilities. Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, enabling a dynamic and interactive editing experience. Changes made by one user are instantly visible to others, fostering teamwork and efficiency.
Access Anytime, Anywhere: As a cloud-based application, Google Docs allows users to access their documents from any device with an internet connection. This flexibility is particularly valuable for individuals and teams who need to work on documents while on the go.
Version History: Google Docs automatically tracks and saves the revision history of a document. Users can review and revert to previous versions, providing a safety net for document changes and edits.
Commenting and Suggesting: Users can add comments to specific sections of a document, facilitating communication and feedback within the document itself. Additionally, the "Suggesting" mode allows collaborators to propose edits without directly modifying the original text, providing a transparent and traceable editing process.
Integration with Google Drive: Google Docs seamlessly integrates with Google Drive, Google's cloud storage service. This integration enables users to store, organize, and share their documents effortlessly, and changes made in Google Docs are automatically saved to Google Drive.
Offline Mode: While Google Docs primarily relies on an internet connection, users can enable offline mode, allowing them to create and edit documents without internet access. Changes made offline are synced when an internet connection is reestablished.
Compatibility and Export Options: Google Docs supports various file formats, including Microsoft Word (.docx), making it compatible with standard office applications. Users can also export their documents in different formats, enhancing interoperability.
Target Audience:
Google Docs caters to a diverse user base, including:
Individuals: Students, writers, researchers, and anyone needing a straightforward word processing tool.
Businesses: Small to large enterprises utilizing Google Workspace for collaborative work and document management.
Educational Institutions: Teachers, students, and administrators leveraging Google Docs for educational purposes.
Nonprofit Organizations: Teams in nonprofit sectors benefiting from free access to collaborative document creation and sharing.
Freelancers and Remote Teams: Professionals working remotely who require collaborative document editing and sharing capabilities.
Competitors:
Google Docs faces competition from various word processing applications, with notable competitors including Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and other online collaboration tools like Dropbox Paper and Quip.
Step 2: Ask Clarifying Questions
When faced with a product metrics question or any question related to assessing the success or performance of a specific feature, it's crucial to seek clarification from the interviewer.
Here is a list of clarifying questions that can help you better understand the context and requirements:
Are we focussing on any particular platform like desktop web or mobile app?
A) You can decide.
Are we focussing on any particular OS like, IOS, Android or Windows?
A) All platforms.
Measuring the success of Google Docs in a particular region or not?
A) No, overall.
Google Docs (which is also part of g-suit) has both end consumer(B2C) users and business(B2B) users. Should I focus on any particular user set here?
A) Sure, for the scope of this question consider B2C.
What do you mean by measuring success? (Is there any particular thing that you have in mind and want me to track or should I decide what to track and measure)
A) You can decide.
Are there specific user personas we are focusing on (e.g., new users, power users, businesses)?
A) No, we can consider overall users.What are the primary business goals associated with this product or feature?
(Are we aiming to increase revenue, user engagement, market share, or achieve other specific objectives or benchmarks?)
A) You can decide.
Are there any technical limitations or constraints that might impact the measurement of metrics?
A) No.
Are there upcoming features or changes in the product roadmap that might influence the metrics?
A) No.
Step 3: Define the Goal you want to acheive
The goal of Google Docs is to facilitate seamless and collaborative document creation, editing, and sharing, fostering a user-friendly environment for real-time collaboration. The overarching aim aligns with Google's mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. By providing users with a cloud-based platform that enables them to create, edit, and collaborate on documents from any device with internet access, Google Docs aims to enhance user productivity and become an integral part of their daily workflows.
The success of Google Docs is measured not solely by revenue generation, as it is often offered for free, but by the extent of adoption, engagement, and retention it achieves. Google Docs strives to be a valuable component within the broader Google ecosystem, contributing to increased user interaction with Google products. The goal includes encouraging users to create, collaborate, and share documents effortlessly, thereby reinforcing their reliance on Google's suite of services.
Step 4 : Describe User Journey
At this step you are expected to give a walkthrough of the user journey from the start to the end of the user interaction with the feature. This would demonstrate your ability to think and understand the different key experiences a user goes through while interacting with the feature or product that might effect the success of the feature.
You can ask the interviewer if they believe you have covered all of the important user journey steps at the end of this step.
Following is the user journey for Google Docs,
Discovery and Access:
Users become aware of Google Docs through various channels, such as online searches, recommendations, or being integrated into the Google ecosystem.
Upon discovery, users can access Google Docs directly through their web browsers or by downloading the mobile application.
Registration and Onboarding:
For new users, the onboarding process involves signing up for a Google account or logging in if they already have one.
Users may be guided through a brief tutorial or introductory steps to familiarize them with the basic features of Google Docs.
Creating a Document:
After onboarding, users can create a new document by selecting the type (e.g., blank document, template) and giving it a title.
The document creation interface allows users to start typing, formatting text, inserting images, tables, and other elements.
Editing and Collaboration:
Users have the ability to edit documents in real-time, allowing multiple collaborators to work on the same document simultaneously.
Collaboration features include commenting, suggesting edits, and viewing changes made by others, enhancing teamwork and productivity.
Sharing and Collaboration:
Users can share their documents with others by inviting collaborators through email or generating a shareable link with specific access permissions.
Collaborators receive notifications and can contribute to the document by making edits, leaving comments, or suggesting changes.
Version History and Revisions:
The version history feature allows users to review changes made over time and revert to previous versions if needed.
This ensures document integrity and provides a comprehensive overview of collaborative efforts.
Saving and Cloud Storage:
As users work on documents, changes are automatically saved to Google Drive, Google's cloud storage service.
This ensures accessibility to documents from any device with internet access and facilitates seamless transitions between devices.
Accessibility and Offline Editing:
Google Docs is accessible across various devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Users can also enable offline mode, allowing them to edit documents without an internet connection, with changes syncing once they are back online.
Finalization and Distribution:
Once a document is finalized, users can export it in various formats (e.g., PDF, Word) or choose to publish it directly.
Distribution options include sharing a link, sending the document via email, or downloading it for offline use.
Step 5: Metrics for each step of the User Journey
Once you are done describing the User Journey of the feature / product, its time to define the metrics for each phase in the customer journey. Below is a list of all the customer journey phases a user can go through: (3AE3R )