PM Interview: How would you improve Netflix?

Hey Impactful PM!

Hey everyone, Aneesha here 👋!

Today, I’m tackling an exciting interview question that I think every product manager has probably thought about at some point: how would you improve Netflix?

Netflix is already a powerhouse when it comes to streaming, but there’s always room for innovation.

In this post, I’ll walk you through a near-ideal approach to take as the interviewee to answer this product management strategy interview question to enhance the user experience on Netflix.

Let’s dive straight into the interview! 🎬🚀

Clarifying Understanding of the Question 🎓️ 

Interviewer: "How would you improve Netflix to enhance user experience?"

Aneesha: "Before diving into potential improvements, I’d like to ask a couple of questions to better understand the context.

First, are we focusing on a particular aspect of the user experience, like content discovery, streaming quality, or user interface? And second, is there a specific target audience or user segment that we're looking to improve Netflix for?"

Interviewer: "Good questions. Let's focus on content discovery and the general user base—both new and existing users."

Aneesha: "Great, that gives me a clear direction. Content discovery is a crucial part of Netflix's user experience, and improving it can significantly enhance user satisfaction. Let me walk you through my approach to this."

Understanding the Current Experience 🤔 

Aneesha: "To start with, Netflix already has a sophisticated recommendation engine, but there are always areas to refine. The platform offers a massive content library, but sometimes users can feel overwhelmed or dissatisfied with the recommendations they receive.

This could be due to the algorithm not fully capturing their evolving preferences, or simply because the interface doesn’t always make it easy to find something new or different.

Interviewer: "That’s a good point. What specific improvements would you suggest?"

1. Enhancing Personalization with Contextual Recommendations

Aneesha: "One of the first improvements I'd suggest is adding more contextual recommendations.

Currently, Netflix recommends based on your past viewing habits, but what if we could take it a step further by integrating context like time of day, mood, or even seasonal trends?

For example, if a user usually watches light comedies in the evening after work, Netflix could prioritize similar content during those hours. Alternatively, during the holiday season, the platform could highlight festive content more prominently.

This approach would make recommendations feel more timely and relevant, thereby increasing user satisfaction."

Interviewer: "Interesting idea. How would you gather that kind of contextual data without being intrusive?"

Aneesha: "Good question. Netflix could implement this by allowing users to select moods or themes they’re interested in at the moment, or by passively analyzing patterns in their viewing habits.

Of course, user consent and data privacy would be top priorities here. Simple options like ‘Feeling adventurous?’ or ‘Looking for something relaxing?’ could be integrated into the interface, making it easy for users to express their current preferences."

2. Improving Search Functionality and Filters

Aneesha: "Another area of improvement is the search functionality. While Netflix’s search is functional, it could benefit from more advanced filtering options.

Users should be able to search for content based on specific criteria like mood, genre combinations, actor collaborations, or even more niche categories like 'critically acclaimed documentaries under 90 minutes.'

Adding these filters would empower users to find exactly what they're looking for more efficiently, reducing the time spent browsing aimlessly. This would be particularly useful for users who know the kind of content they want but aren’t sure what specific title to choose."

Interviewer: "That’s a practical suggestion. How would this affect the overall user experience?"

Aneesha: "It would streamline content discovery, making it less frustrating and more enjoyable. Users could quickly narrow down their options, leading to faster decision-making and a more personalized experience."

3. Social and Collaborative Features

Aneesha: "Netflix could also introduce more social features to enhance the shared viewing experience. For instance, a feature where users can create and share ‘watchlists’ with friends or a ‘watch together’ option that allows for synchronized streaming with built-in chat or video calls.

Moreover, Netflix could integrate recommendations based on what your friends or family are watching, similar to how Spotify shows playlists from people you follow. This would add a communal element to the platform, making it more engaging and fun."

Interviewer: "How do you think users would respond to these social features?"

Aneesha: "I think they’d be well-received, especially among younger users who value shared experiences. It could also increase user retention by adding a layer of social interaction that isn’t currently a core part of Netflix’s experience."

4. AI-Driven Content Curation

Aneesha: "Lastly, I'd suggest enhancing Netflix’s content curation through AI. By using more sophisticated machine learning models, Netflix could analyze user behavior in real-time to curate collections that feel fresh and tailored to the user’s taste. These curated lists could change dynamically, keeping the platform feeling new and exciting every time a user logs in.

Additionally, Netflix could introduce a ‘Discovery Mode,’ where users are encouraged to explore content outside their usual preferences. This mode could present users with something different based on subtle overlaps in genre, tone, or themes with content they’ve enjoyed in the past."

Interviewer: "That’s an intriguing concept. How do you ensure that users don’t feel overwhelmed by too many choices?"

Aneesha: "The key is to keep the interface clean and intuitive. Instead of bombarding users with too many options, Netflix could offer these curated suggestions in easily accessible, swipeable sections, much like the current rows but more personalized and with a greater variety in each swipe."

Conclusion 🏁

Aneesha: "In summary, by enhancing personalization with contextual recommendations, improving search filters, adding social features, and leveraging AI for dynamic content curation, Netflix can significantly improve its user experience.

These changes would help users discover content more easily, make the platform more engaging, and ultimately keep users coming back for more. What do you think about these suggestions?"

Interviewer: "I think you've covered some very thoughtful and actionable ideas. Thanks, Aneesha!"

Aneesha: "Thank you! It’s been a great discussion."

🤣 Product Management Meme of the Day 🤣 

That’s all for today !

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Cya!
Aneesha ❤️ 

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