Six-Month Plan to Improve How Guests Find Airbnb Listings

You are a product manager at Airbnb. How would you improve the way guests discover listings over the next six months? ```hint Decide what discovery means Discovery runs from the first search to the moment a guest picks a place. Find the step where your chosen guests struggle most, and fit the plan to what a team can ship and measure in six months. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does discovery cover only search results and the map, or also the home screen and inspiration surfaces before a guest enters a destination? - Are stays the only scope, or should Experiences be included? - Is the six-month goal more bookings, faster decisions, or better matches that lead to fewer cancellations and better reviews? - Should I focus on the mobile app, the website, or both? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A working definition of discovery and a goal tied to Airbnb's business - A chosen guest segment and the specific steps between search and booking where it struggles - Solutions prioritized by impact and effort, sequenced into a plan that fits six months - A north-star metric with supporting and guardrail metrics, and how changes will be tested - Risks to guests and hosts, including visibility for new listings ### Follow-up Questions - How would your changes affect new listings with no reviews, and how would you keep them visible? - If bookings rise but cancellations and complaints about listing accuracy also rise, what would you do? - Which part of your plan would you cut if the team lost a third of its capacity halfway through?