Design a landscaping robot that maintains the grounds of Google's headquarters campus

You are a product manager at Google and have been asked to design a robot that takes care of gardening and grounds work at Google's headquarters campus. Decide what the robot should do and whom it serves, identify the problems it solves, choose what it launches with, and explain how you would judge whether it is working. ```hint Find the jobs worth automating Start from the people who look after the grounds today and the recurring jobs that take most of their time. Then ask which of those jobs a machine can do reliably outdoors, among employees and visitors, without harming plants or people. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the robot meant to replace work the existing grounds crew does, assist the crew, or take on jobs that are not being done today? - Which tasks are in scope: mowing, weeding, watering, pruning, planting, litter pickup, or some subset? - Will the robot work only outside office hours, or during the day while employees and visitors use the lawns and paths? - Is this an internal facilities tool for one campus, or a prototype Google might later offer to other campuses and cities? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A goal for the robot (lower cost, better grounds, less water and chemical use, or a showcase for Google's technology) and how that choice shapes the design. - The users and stakeholders (grounds crew, facilities managers, employees and visitors), a chosen focus, and that group's pain points. - A prioritized set of tasks and capabilities for a first version, with reasoning about which jobs suit automation and which should stay with people. - Safety, outdoor reliability and operations: people and animals nearby, weather, chemicals, charging and maintenance. - Success metrics with guardrails, and a staged rollout plan. ### Follow-up Questions - The grounds crew worries the robot will take their jobs. How do you handle that, and how does it change the product? - The robot needs to treat weeds next to a lawn where people eat lunch. Which design and policy choices prevent harm? - If the pilot succeeds, would you turn the robot into a product for other companies or cities? What would have to change?