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

Senior

May 2026

Summary

Google PM interview with a geo/strategy case about launching Maps in South Korea. Just the one question but it had a lot of moving parts and I wasn't fully ready for the vendor evaluation angle.

Questions Asked (1)

Google Maps is planning to launch in South Korea and needs to choose one of three local map data vendors. How do you approach that decision?

Product StrategyTechnical Trade-offsRoadmap Prioritization

Author's notes

I went straight to data quality and coverage, which felt right but I skipped over the regulatory side for way too long.

Create a free account to read the full note

AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Frame the decision as a product strategy problem: start by defining what 'best' means for Google Maps in South Korea, then evaluate vendors against those criteria using data and trade-offs. Show structured thinking by considering user needs, technical requirements, business constraints, and risks, and conclude with a clear recommendation and rationale.

Pro tip: Acknowledge South Korea's unique regulatory and competitive landscape (e.g., local mapping laws, dominant players like Naver/Kakao) and emphasize that the decision must balance speed to market with long-term strategic control.

1. Clarify Objectives and Constraints

Define what success looks like for Google Maps in South Korea (e.g., user adoption, coverage, accuracy) and identify key constraints such as budget, timeline, legal requirements, and strategic goals.

2. Establish Evaluation Criteria

List criteria to compare vendors, such as data quality, coverage, update frequency, cost, technical integration effort, regulatory compliance, and scalability.

3. Gather and Analyze Data

Collect quantitative and qualitative data on each vendor (e.g., sample data, references, pilot tests) and score them against the criteria, using a weighted matrix if helpful.

4. Assess Trade-offs and Risks

Evaluate trade-offs between vendors (e.g., cost vs. quality, speed vs. control) and consider risks like vendor lock-in, data privacy, and geopolitical factors.

5. Make Recommendation and Plan Next Steps

Choose the vendor that best aligns with objectives, justify the choice, and outline an implementation plan including pilot, integration, and contingency measures.

Key Points to Mention

South Korea's strict mapping regulations and the need for local partnerships or licenses.
Competitive landscape: Naver and Kakao dominate, so differentiation and speed are critical.
Total cost of ownership: not just licensing fees but integration, maintenance, and opportunity cost.
Data quality dimensions: accuracy, freshness, coverage of points of interest, and real-time traffic.
Scalability and future-proofing: ability to handle growth and support new features like AR or autonomous driving.
Risk mitigation: exit strategy, contract terms, and building internal capabilities over time.

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