Facebook product design: bringing ride sharing to its users, from model to first version

You are a product manager at Facebook, asked to design a ride-sharing app that lives within Facebook. Explain what kind of ride sharing makes sense for Facebook and why, who it should serve first, what you would build, and how you would know it is working. ```hint Start from Facebook's advantage List what Facebook already has that a standalone ride service would struggle to build, then let that list decide which trips and which users the product should start with. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does "ride sharing" mean on-demand rides from paid drivers, or people sharing seats on trips they are already making? - Would Facebook run its own driver network, or work with existing ride-hailing companies? - Is the goal engagement, revenue or Facebook's community mission, and in which markets? - Should it live inside Facebook's existing surfaces, or can it be a separate app that people sign into with Facebook? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - Why Facebook should offer ride sharing at all, tied to its mission and to assets competitors lack - The possible operating models compared, with one chosen and the reasons - User segments compared, one chosen, and that segment's pain points ranked - A prioritized first version in which trust and safety are part of the core, not an add-on - Success metrics with guardrails, plus the regulatory, safety and cold-start risks ### Follow-up Questions - How would you solve the cold-start problem in the place you launch first? - What would you do if a serious safety incident happened in the first month? - What results would make you shut the product down?