Gusto·Product Manager·Onsite - Product Sense / Strategy·Senior

SeniorPrefer not to say

May 2026

Summary

Gusto product design interview, one question about building a 2FA feature. Short prompt but there's a lot hiding underneath it if you're not careful.

Questions Asked (1)

Design a two-factor authentication product for Gusto.

Product Sense & IdeationProduct StrategyTechnical Trade-offs

Author's notes

I jumped straight into SMS vs authenticator apps and kind of forgot to anchor on who the users actually are.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the goal: reduce account takeover risk for Gusto's payroll and HR platform while balancing security with user experience. Then segment users (admins, employees, accountants) and prioritize the highest-risk scenarios. Finally, propose a phased 2FA solution with trade-offs and success metrics.

Pro tip: Emphasize that 2FA is not just a security feature but a trust enabler for a payroll platform handling sensitive data. Show you understand that different user roles need different authentication strengths and recovery flows.

1. Clarify Goals and Constraints

Ask questions to understand the primary objective (e.g., compliance, reducing fraud) and constraints (budget, timeline, user tolerance). Confirm that Gusto handles sensitive payroll and personal data, so security is paramount.

2. Segment Users and Use Cases

Identify key user groups: company admins, employees, and accountants. Determine their risk profiles and frequency of access. For example, admins need stronger 2FA due to access to payroll and bank info.

3. Define Requirements and Prioritize

List functional and non-functional requirements: supported 2FA methods (SMS, TOTP, push, hardware keys), recovery options, and integration with existing SSO. Prioritize based on risk and user impact.

4. Design the Solution and Trade-offs

Propose a phased rollout: start with TOTP for admins, then expand. Discuss trade-offs between security and convenience, and how to handle edge cases like lost devices.

5. Define Success Metrics and Next Steps

Suggest metrics: adoption rate, reduction in account takeovers, support tickets related to 2FA. Outline a plan for user education and iterative improvements.

Key Points to Mention

Risk-based authentication: step-up 2FA for sensitive actions like payroll runs or bank account changes.
Support for multiple 2FA methods: SMS, TOTP apps, push notifications, and hardware keys like YubiKey.
Recovery flows: backup codes, admin reset, and secure account recovery to prevent lockouts.
Compliance with standards like SOC 2, GDPR, and IRS Pub 1075 for payroll data.
User experience: minimize friction with remember-device options and clear onboarding.
Integration with existing identity providers (e.g., Google Workspace, Okta) and SSO.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.