Higg Co. Index Product Job Questionaire
4 min readOct 28, 2019
- Within a Product Manager role, please describe a time where you significantly improved the user experience for a customer using the product. *
At my latest role I was engaged in a project to revamp an old legacy tool that most end users hated. In the process I collected feedback from everyone (both internal and external), reviewed usage analytics, worked closely with the designer for new UI ideas, and with developers for feasibility. The end result was an extensively relaunched version 2.0 that was much more intuitive, easier on the eye, and relevant to user needs. We no longer received requests for UI/UX enhancements as this release had addressed a majority of those issues. We now had more satisfied users than we’ve ever had. - Please describe the tools you used, the decision making process, the way you measured progress throughout this process, and the lessons learned from this experience.
I extensively use JIRA for both SDLC and operational purposes to keep track of the sprints and/or requirements backlog. In some cases for companies with software limitations, I use the most reliable excel for collecting requirements, tracking, status reporting and even wire-framing.
To decide which features fall into each sprint is an ongoing process as new requirements and changes come in everyday. My team uses metrics applicable across all requirements to measure its potential impact or benefits. The way I measured progress was the delta of actual and estimated delivery. The shorter the delay, the better I was at doing my job. Lessons learned are to learn from failures (e.g. long delays, low usage of a new feature) and always come up with ways to fix the cycle (e.g. test sooner for additional validation, run more test groups to collect more feedback to get deeper understanding, etc) - Spanning your last two jobs, how important was business case development in comparison to the other skills required for success in your role? *
It really depended on the role. At the bank where I picked up various projects to deliver across all departments, business cases were very important for me to pitch my proposed solutions to decision makers. I have to provide justification for the new product to get their buy-in and a green light. The more green lights I got, the more successful I was in my role. - Describe a situation where you extensively contributed to developing a vision and strategy for a product. *
For the msim.com website relaunch, I did a lot of research and competitive analysis to come up with ideas to build a vision of the future release of the new site. Together with feedback from 7 country sales team in EU, US and Japan, I came up with a long term strategy that redefines the product — essentially from just a half broken informational online catalog, to a full fledged platform to engage users. The idea is to attract them to consume the content (company insights and thought leadership) and drive conversions along the journey. In the long run the new site is meant to revamp the brand, re-position itself to grow new leads and be resourceful for the existing audience to come back. - Describe how you engage with internal stakeholders (i.e. engineers, designers, and architects), as well as external stakeholders, during the product management process. *
On a daily basis I am in touch with leads and developers to ensure the requirements are up to date and their progress is on track. For new requirements I collect from users/external stakeholders, I have to validate, provide estimates, and run as many tests as possible with them. I organize small feedback groups so they can focus on testing and also give ample feedback on what they like and dislike. The users also tell me what’s critical for them and I maintain a list with requests that are constantly re-prioritized based on resources (time, devs) and impact/benefits. From there I host a status report bi-weekly to let all my users know where their requests are, what the latest roadmap is, and what features have been released.
Designers come into play depending on the project- when they are involved in an early stage, I provide them with detailed requirements so they can come back with suggestions and wireframes for which I then validate with users and then pass on to developers and architects to evaluate feasibility and delivery estimates. When the designs don’t work, I go back to them until we get it right. They are heavily involved in the conceptualization of a new product or feature. For ongoing BAU work or smaller enhancements, we also work together to make sure everything needed is clear. - Describe a situation where professionalism made a difference in a client-facing situation. * Here, professionalism is defined as the ability to represent oneself and one’s organization with decorum, dignity, and respect for others.
At my past startup I was faced with a lot of complaints from retail consumers with my physical product. Some B2B customers also ruthlessly questioned our pricing and quality. Instead of arguing against their views, I remained calm and asked more about what they are looking for and whether any other products in my portfolio will meet their needs. And if not, I took it as a chance for me to try and source them in. By being attentive and not antagonistic, I discovered new market demands and built positive relationships with customers who will give me a second chance. - Describe your top strength as a Product Manager. *
My exposure to a wide spectrum of industries allow me to grasp ideas quickly to meet the actual communicated demands of a product. On a technical level, I can understand and explain things very well to engineers to allow them to take ownership of their work. This way I am able to clear blockers quickly and encourage a continuous loop of feedback, saving time from mistakes.
