Tell me about a time when you had to pivot a product strategy
Theme: Product Strategy Role: Product Manager Function: Technology
Interview Question for Product Manager: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Product Manager: Leads the development and management of tech products. This role falls within the Technology function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into Product Strategy with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Context: Provide a brief overview of the product and the situation that required a pivot in the strategy
- Identifying the need for a pivot: Explain how you recognized the need to change the product strategy
- Analyzing the situation: Describe the steps you took to gather data and analyze the market, competition, and customer feedback
- Developing a new strategy: Outline the process of developing a new product strategy based on the analysis
- Implementing the pivot: Explain how you executed the new strategy and communicated it to the team
- Measuring success: Discuss the metrics or indicators used to evaluate the success of the pivot
- Results & impact: Share the outcomes of the pivot and the positive impact it had on the product or business
- Learnings & improvements: Highlight the key learnings from the experience and any improvements made for future product strategies
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Adaptability: Assessing your ability to adjust and change course when necessary
- Problem-solving: Evaluating your approach to addressing challenges and finding solutions
- Decision-making: Understanding your ability to make strategic decisions and prioritize effectively
- Leadership: Assessing your ability to guide and influence others during a strategy pivot
- Analytical skills: Evaluating your capacity to analyze data and market trends to inform strategy adjustments
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Lack of clarity: Providing a vague or unclear explanation of the product strategy pivot
- Lack of ownership: Not taking ownership of the decision to pivot and instead blaming external factors or team members
- Lack of impact: Failing to highlight the positive impact of the product strategy pivot on the business or customers
- Lack of adaptability: Not demonstrating the ability to adapt and make informed decisions based on changing market conditions or customer needs
- Lack of collaboration: Not mentioning collaboration with cross-functional teams or stakeholders during the product strategy pivot
- Lack of learning: Not discussing the lessons learned from the product strategy pivot and how it influenced future decision-making