Google Product Sense: Creating a New Product in the Pet Care Space

You are a product manager at Google and have been asked to design a new product for pets. Explain whose needs it serves, which problem it solves, what the product is and why Google is well placed to build it, and how you would judge its success. ```hint The pet is not the user Pets cannot install an app, describe a symptom or leave a review. Decide whose problem you are solving, and pick a problem where Google's existing strengths give it an edge over pet-focused startups. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the product for the pets themselves, such as a toy or a feeder, or for the people around them: owners, sitters, walkers or vets? - Should it cover all pets, or focus on the most common ones, such as dogs and cats? - What is the goal for Google: a new revenue line, more use of existing Google devices and apps, or something else? - Is hardware in scope, or should the product be software built on what Google already ships? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A reasoned choice of pet and of the person served, tied to a goal for Google - Concrete pain points for that segment, prioritized by reach and severity - A specific first version and roadmap that uses Google's strengths (AI, Nest cameras, wearable sensing, Assistant, Calendar), and why Google should build it rather than leave it to pet startups - Success metrics with guardrails for pet welfare, alert accuracy and privacy in the home - Risks and trade-offs: unsafe health advice, false alarms, camera privacy, hardware cost and the business model ### Follow-up Questions - Your product flags a possible health problem, and the owner pays for an emergency vet visit that finds nothing. How do you calibrate alerts? - Would you sell hardware, charge a subscription or keep the product free? Why? - How would you expand beyond dogs and cats, and what would have to change?