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

Senior
May 2026

Summary

A 45-minute product design round at Kayak where you have to produce a full end-to-end system concept plus a low-fi wireframe on the spot. Pretty intense scope for the time given.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

In 45 minutes, design an end-to-end system of your choice and present a low-fidelity wireframe. Cover the problem statement and target users, core user journeys and MVP feature set, a screen flow or sketch, success metrics and key trade-offs, and high-level technical considerations for launch.

Product Sense & IdeationSystem DesignProduct Analytics & Metrics
Author's notes

The time pressure is the real beast here.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Choose a travel-adjacent problem that leverages Kayak's strengths (e.g., trip planning, price alerts, or itinerary management) and structure your answer around a clear user problem, a focused MVP, and measurable outcomes. Spend the first 5 minutes framing the problem and target user, then allocate time to sketch a simple screen flow and discuss trade-offs and technical feasibility.

Pro tip: Anchor your design in a specific, high-frequency pain point for Kayak's core users (e.g., managing flight changes or coordinating group travel) and explicitly tie success metrics to Kayak's business model (e.g., conversion to booking or ancillary revenue).

1. Define Problem & Target User

Clearly state the problem, who experiences it, and why it matters to Kayak. Use a persona and a user story to make it concrete.

2. Outline Core User Journeys & MVP

Map the primary user journey from trigger to outcome, then prioritize 2-3 must-have features for the MVP. Explicitly state what is out of scope.

3. Sketch Screen Flow & Wireframe

Draw a low-fidelity wireframe of the key screens, showing the flow and main UI elements. Keep it simple and focus on clarity over aesthetics.

4. Define Success Metrics & Trade-offs

Propose 2-3 success metrics (e.g., conversion rate, retention) and discuss key trade-offs (e.g., scope vs. speed, personalization vs. privacy).

5. Highlight Technical Considerations

Mention high-level technical needs such as data integration (e.g., flight APIs), scalability, and potential dependencies for launch.

Key Points to Mention

  • Alignment with Kayak's business model and existing user base
  • Prioritization of MVP features using a framework like RICE or MoSCoW
  • User-centric design principles and accessibility
  • Metrics that tie to business outcomes (e.g., booking conversion, ancillary revenue)
  • Technical feasibility and integration with existing systems (e.g., APIs, data)
  • Trade-offs between user needs, business goals, and technical constraints

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