Building a Product That Turns Occasional Reading Into a Lasting Habit

You are a product manager asked to create a new product that helps people improve their reading habits. Choose who it is for and the problem it solves, describe what you would build first, and explain how you would tell whether people's reading actually changed. ```hint Define the habit first Reading habits can get better in several ways: starting to read at all, reading more often, finishing books, or understanding more. Each version points to a different group of people and a different product. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Should "better reading habits" mean bringing in people who rarely read, getting existing readers to read more often, or helping people finish and remember what they read? - Is the product software, a physical device, or a feature in an existing reading or e-book service? - Is the target audience open, or is there a group in mind, such as children learning to read, students or working adults? - Do print books, e-books, audiobooks and long-form articles all count as reading? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A specific definition of the habit being improved and a goal tied to it. - Several distinct user groups and a reasoned choice of one, based on the size of the need and how much a product can change their behavior. - Pain points that explain why that group's reading breaks down, not just that it does. - Solutions ranked by impact and effort, ending in a focused first version. - Metrics that track the habit over weeks, with guardrails against shallow engagement. ### Follow-up Questions - Daily opens rise after you add a streak counter, but minutes read per session fall. Is the product working? - Most users stop using the product once the novelty wears off. What would you change to carry them past that point? - If the product also sold books, how would you keep the habit goal from turning into a book-sales goal?