Making a Move to a New City Easier with Facebook or Google

You are interviewing for a product manager role at Google, Microsoft or Facebook. The interviewer asks you to come up with something new that either Facebook or Google could build to make moving to a new place easier for people. Explain which kinds of moves and which people you would focus on, what makes relocating hard for them, what you would build first and how you would know it is working. ```hint Follow one move from start to finish Break a move into stages, from choosing where to live through the first months in the new place. Look for the stage where people struggle most and where the company you build for can offer something others cannot easily copy. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Is the product for Facebook or for Google, or is the choice mine? The two have different assets to build on, such as a social network, Groups and Marketplace on one side and Maps and Search on the other. - Does "relocate" cover moves within one country only, or also moves abroad, which add visas, banking and language? - Is there a business goal to serve, such as engagement, user growth or revenue, or should I optimize for user value? - Should I target a particular kind of mover, such as students, people moving for a job, families or retirees, or is that my call? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A deliberate choice of company and type of move, justified by that company's existing strengths - Segments of people who relocate, with a reasoned choice of one to focus on - A journey through the stages of a move, with pain points prioritized by severity and by how well they are already served - A focused first version that uses the platform's assets, with stated trade-offs and later phases - Success metrics tied to the user's outcome, plus guardrails and risks such as privacy, safety and scams ### Follow-up Questions - How would your design change if you built it for the other company? - Most people move only once every few years. How do you keep the product discoverable, and does it need frequent use to succeed? - How would you measure whether someone has actually settled into their new home?