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

Senior
May 2026

Summary

Meta PM interview, single question about designing Facebook's birthday feature from zero. Pretty open-ended, which sounds fun until you're actually in it.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

You're the PM for Facebook birthdays before any birthday features exist. How would you design and build that experience from scratch?

Product Sense & IdeationProduct StrategyRoadmap Prioritization
Author's notes

The scope of this one is deceptively wide.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the goal of the birthday feature: to increase user engagement and strengthen social connections. Then, outline a structured product design process: define the problem, identify user segments, brainstorm solutions, prioritize features, and define success metrics. Finally, discuss how you would iterate based on feedback and data.

Pro tip: Emphasize the importance of leveraging Facebook's existing social graph and notification system to create a seamless and delightful experience. Also, consider privacy and user control to avoid negative reactions.

1. Clarify Goals and User Needs

Ask clarifying questions to understand the objective (e.g., increase engagement, strengthen relationships) and identify key user segments (e.g., birthday person, friends, acquaintances).

2. Brainstorm and Prioritize Features

Generate a list of potential features (e.g., birthday notifications, wish wall, personalized messages) and prioritize based on impact and effort, considering MVP.

3. Design the Experience

Detail the user journey for both the birthday person and their friends, focusing on key touchpoints like notifications, News Feed, and profile.

4. Define Success Metrics

Identify metrics such as number of wishes sent, engagement rate, and user satisfaction to measure success and guide iterations.

5. Plan for Iteration and Edge Cases

Discuss how to handle privacy concerns, opt-outs, and cultural differences, and outline a plan for A/B testing and gathering feedback.

Key Points to Mention

  • Leverage Facebook's social graph to surface relevant birthday information.
  • Use notifications and News Feed to prompt friends to engage.
  • Provide easy ways to send wishes (e.g., one-click posts, personalized messages).
  • Ensure privacy controls and respect user preferences for visibility.
  • Consider cultural nuances and global scalability.
  • Define clear success metrics and iterate based on data.

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