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

Senior
Apr 2026

Summary

Google TPM interview with a single product design question about large events and concerts. Pretty open-ended, which I wasn't fully prepared for.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

Design a solution for attending large events and concerts.

Product Sense & IdeationSystem DesignRoadmap Prioritization
Author's notes

I went straight into logistics and ticketing, which in hindsight was too narrow.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the scope and goals of the solution, then structure your answer around user needs, technical feasibility, and business impact. Focus on a specific user journey (e.g., discovering, attending, and sharing the event) and propose a scalable system design that leverages Google's strengths in AI, maps, and cloud.

Pro tip: Anchor your solution in a clear product vision and prioritize features using a framework like RICE or MoSCoW, showing you can balance user value with technical constraints. Mention how you would measure success with metrics like attendee satisfaction, engagement, and retention.

1. Clarify and Scope

Ask clarifying questions to understand the event type, scale, and user segments. Define the problem statement and success metrics.

2. User Needs and Pain Points

Identify key user personas (attendees, organizers, venues) and their pain points across the event lifecycle: discovery, ticketing, navigation, engagement, and post-event.

3. Solution Ideation

Brainstorm features that address pain points, leveraging Google technologies (e.g., Maps for navigation, AI for personalization, Cloud for scalability). Prioritize features based on impact and feasibility.

4. System Design and Architecture

Outline a high-level technical architecture, including components like mobile app, backend services, data storage, and integrations. Discuss scalability, reliability, and privacy considerations.

5. Roadmap and Metrics

Propose a phased rollout (MVP to full feature set) and define success metrics (e.g., DAU, event attendance, NPS). Discuss trade-offs and potential risks.

Key Points to Mention

  • Leverage Google's ecosystem: Maps for real-time navigation and crowd management, AI for personalized recommendations, Cloud for scalable infrastructure.
  • Address key challenges: ticketing and entry (e.g., digital tickets, NFC), connectivity (e.g., offline mode, mesh networks), and safety (e.g., emergency alerts).
  • Consider scalability: design for peak loads (e.g., 100k+ attendees) using load balancing, caching, and microservices.
  • Prioritize features using a framework (e.g., RICE) and justify trade-offs between user value and technical effort.
  • Define success metrics: e.g., time saved in entry, engagement during event, post-event sharing, and organizer efficiency.
  • Discuss privacy and security: secure payments, data anonymization, and compliance with regulations like GDPR.

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