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Wish·Software Engineer·Onsite - Product Sense / Strategy·Senior

Senior
May 2026

Summary

Interviewed for a notifications PM role at Wish. Just one question from what I can tell, but it was a meaty one that made me think harder than expected about tradeoffs I thought I already understood.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

As a PM owning the notifications experience, how would you figure out the right volume of notifications to send users, and where do you draw the line at too many?

Product Analytics & MetricsProduct Sense & IdeationProduct Strategy
Author's notes

I went straight to engagement metrics and open rates, which felt logical but in hindsight was too narrow.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by defining the goal of notifications—driving engagement without harming user experience—and identify key metrics like CTR, opt-out rate, and retention. Then propose a data-driven framework to test different volumes and find the optimal point where marginal benefit equals marginal cost. Finally, discuss how to set thresholds and personalize based on user behavior.

Pro tip: Frame the answer around user value and long-term retention, not just short-term engagement. Mention that the 'right' volume is dynamic and should be continuously optimized via experimentation and user feedback.

1. Define success metrics

Identify primary metrics (e.g., DAU, retention) and guardrail metrics (e.g., opt-out rate, uninstall rate, notification fatigue). Establish a clear trade-off between engagement and user experience.

2. Segment users and analyze current behavior

Break down users by engagement level, notification preferences, and past responsiveness. Analyze how notification volume correlates with key metrics across segments.

3. Run controlled experiments

Design A/B tests with varying notification frequencies (e.g., low, medium, high) and measure impact on both engagement and guardrail metrics. Use holdout groups to measure long-term effects.

4. Determine optimal volume and thresholds

Use experiment results to find the point where additional notifications no longer improve engagement or start to harm guardrail metrics. Set a threshold (e.g., max per day/week) and consider personalization.

5. Monitor and iterate

Continuously track metrics, gather qualitative feedback, and adjust volume based on seasonality, user lifecycle, and product changes. Implement a feedback loop for ongoing optimization.

Key Points to Mention

  • Define clear success metrics and guardrail metrics to balance engagement and user experience.
  • Use A/B testing and holdout groups to measure causal impact of notification volume.
  • Consider user segmentation and personalization to tailor notification frequency.
  • Monitor opt-out rates, uninstall rates, and notification fatigue as key indicators.
  • Establish a dynamic threshold that can be adjusted based on data and user feedback.
  • Emphasize long-term retention over short-term engagement spikes.

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