45-Minute Rapid Product Design Exercise

Quick Overview

Practice a 45-minute end-to-end product design exercise using a same-day healthcare appointment finder example. The solution covers clarifying questions, assumptions, target users, MVP workflows, low-fidelity wireframes, metrics, trade-offs, architecture, data, integrations, risks, and validation.

45-Minute Rapid Product Design Exercise

Company: Kayak

Role: Product Manager

Category: Product / Decision Making

Difficulty: hard

Interview Round: Onsite

##### Question In 45 minutes, design an end-to-end system (it need not be travel-related) and present a low-fidelity wireframe. Your deliverable should cover: Problem statement and target users (start by asking clarifying questions). Core user journeys and MVP feature set. Screen flow or sketch of the low-fi wireframe. Success metrics and key trade-offs. High-level technical considerations for an initial launch. ​ ##### Hints Timebox each section; prioritize the riskiest assumptions. Explicitly state any assumptions you make while clarifying requirements.

Quick Answer: Practice a 45-minute end-to-end product design exercise using a same-day healthcare appointment finder example. The solution covers clarifying questions, assumptions, target users, MVP workflows, low-fidelity wireframes, metrics, trade-offs, architecture, data, integrations, risks, and validation.

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Jul 4, 2025, 8:28 PM
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Product Design Exercise: End-to-End System in 45 Minutes

Design an end-to-end system. It does not need to be travel-related. You have 45 minutes.

Your deliverable should include:

  1. Problem statement and target users.
    • Ask clarifying questions.
    • State assumptions.
  2. Core user journeys and MVP feature set.
    • Identify primary workflows.
    • Define the smallest feature set to validate the riskiest assumptions.
  3. Screen flow and low-fidelity wireframe.
    • Provide a simple screen map and rough text or ASCII sketches.
  4. Success metrics and key trade-offs.
    • Define a North Star Metric and supporting metrics.
    • Call out important trade-offs.
  5. High-level technical considerations for initial launch.
    • Architecture, data, integrations, constraints, and risks.

Constraints & Assumptions

  • Timebox each section and prioritize the riskiest assumptions.
  • State assumptions if requirements are ambiguous.
  • The answer should be complete enough to evaluate product thinking, UX flow, metrics, and technical awareness.
  • A low-fidelity wireframe can be text-based.

Clarifying Questions to Ask Guidance

  • Who are the primary users?
  • What problem are we solving now versus later?
  • What platforms and geographies are in scope?
  • What business model and constraints apply?
  • What existing systems or integrations are available?
  • What North Star Metric and guardrails matter most?

What a Strong Answer Covers Guidance

  • Clear timeboxing.
  • Focused problem and target user.
  • MVP designed around riskiest assumptions.
  • Core user journeys.
  • Simple screen flow or wireframe.
  • North Star, input metrics, and guardrails.
  • High-level architecture and launch risks.

Follow-up Questions Guidance

  • What did you deliberately exclude from MVP?
  • What is the riskiest assumption?
  • How would you test demand before building?
  • How would the system scale after launch?
  • What would make you pivot?
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