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

Senior

Jun 2026

Summary

PM interview at Meta with a question that sounds operational but is actually a strategy and stakeholder problem in disguise. One question, fairly open-ended, left me wishing I'd thought harder about the people side before jumping into process.

Questions Asked (1)

How would you approach decommissioning a service or system?

Product StrategyStakeholder ManagementCross-functional Alignment

Author's notes

I went straight to the technical checklist stuff: deprecation timeline, migration path, comms plan.

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Suggested Approach

Start by framing decommissioning as a strategic product decision, not just a technical cleanup. Emphasize a structured process that begins with validating the rationale, then focuses on stakeholder alignment, migration planning, and clear communication. Highlight how you balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints throughout.

Pro tip: Proactively address the 'what if we're wrong?' scenario by proposing a phased approach with clear go/no-go checkpoints and success metrics, showing you can manage risk while driving change.

1. Validate the Decision

Assess why the service should be decommissioned: low usage, high maintenance cost, strategic shift, or replacement by a better solution. Quantify impact and ensure alignment with company goals.

2. Map Stakeholders and Dependencies

Identify all internal and external stakeholders, including users, teams, and partners. Document technical and business dependencies to understand the full scope.

3. Develop a Migration and Transition Plan

Create a detailed plan for migrating users to alternatives, including timelines, resources, and support. Define success metrics and fallback options.

4. Communicate and Execute

Roll out communication to all stakeholders with clear timelines and rationale. Execute the plan in phases, monitoring progress and addressing issues promptly.

5. Review and Learn

After decommissioning, conduct a post-mortem to capture lessons learned and ensure no loose ends. Celebrate successes and document for future reference.

Key Points to Mention

Stakeholder alignment and early communication to manage expectations and reduce resistance.
Data-driven decision making: usage metrics, cost analysis, and strategic impact.
User migration strategy: providing alternatives, support, and clear deprecation timelines.
Risk mitigation: phased approach, rollback plans, and contingency budgets.
Cross-functional collaboration: working with engineering, legal, marketing, and support teams.
Post-decommission review to capture learnings and improve future processes.

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