Google Maps : Product Case Interview

Prioritizing Google Maps Features: A Real Product Management Mock Interview Breakdown

In product management interviews, it’s not enough to come up with the right features — it’s about how you choose which to build first, and why.

In this mock interview, Sanket Vaidya presented a prioritization challenge to a candidate playing the role of a Google Maps Product Manager. Eight new feature ideas were listed, and the candidate was asked to rank them by priority and explain her reasoning.

Here’s how the conversation went — with honest thought process, a few stumbles, and crucial feedback at the end.

The Case : Prioritize These 8 Features for Google Maps

Sanket: You’re a product manager at Google Maps. There are some features under discussion. These are eight options

Feature No.	Feature Description
1	Show delays in public transport
2	Alert about important historical places
3	Recommend when to leave home
4	Book an Ola/Uber from Maps directly
5	Show traffic camera locations
6	Advisory alerts for dangerous locations
7	Show availability of parking at destination
8	Suggest nearby best places to eat when destination is entered

How would you rank them, and on what basis?

Student: Okay. So like a PRD kind of prioritization. Can I take a few minutes?

Sanket: Yes, please.

The Response

Student: Here’s my ranking:

Show traffic camera locations
Advisory alerts for dangerous locations
Show delays in public transport
Recommend when to leave home
Show availability of parking at destination
When destination is entered, suggest nearby best places to eat
Alert about important historical places
Book an Ola/Uber from Maps directly

Sanket: Okay. What’s your thought process?

Student: I’ve prioritized based on how people plan their journey. First, most people check how much time it’ll take to reach. So, traffic camera visibility comes first — it helps estimate time and decide on alternate routes.

Then I picked dangerous location alerts. Accidents or local disturbances can seriously affect travel, so knowing about unsafe areas helps me re-route early.

Next is delays in public transport. If I’m taking a bus or train, I’d want real-time updates so I can adjust plans.

After that, I placed recommend when to leave — that’s a natural follow-up to knowing your route and transport situation.

Then I looked at parking availability — that helps decide whether to take your vehicle or switch to public transport.

Finally, I added food suggestions, historical places, and booking a ride — these are helpful, but more relevant after I’ve already planned my main journey.

The Feedback

Sanket: So, you’re clearly familiar with Google Maps. You came up with the right kind of prioritization. But the framework was missing here.

You didn’t ask clarifying questions. In a real-world or unknown environment, you might struggle. And that’s where prioritization frameworks help.

You could use something like:

RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort)
Value vs Effort Matrix
Business impact vs Customer value

These are simple but powerful tools that show the interviewer how you think. Interviewers aren’t always looking for the perfect answer — they want to see your approach. While your list was reasonable, I didn’t feel confident that you could apply the same structure if the context or domain was unfamiliar.

Key Takeaways

This mock interview highlights a critical PM skill: structured prioritization.What worked was clear logic grounded in user journey and sensible sequencing of transport-first features. What was missing was no framing of user persona, product goal, or use case.

To prepare for product interviews, practice mock interviews online where you’re challenged in unfamiliar domains, not just companies you know well. Use frameworks, stay structured, and be comfortable thinking aloud.

Want to Practice PM Interviews Like This?

Whether you’re targeting FAANG or a high-growth startup, your online interview practice should simulate real conversations like the one above.

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