DAY 13 OF 45-

DAY PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT
INTERVIEW PREP
JOURNEY

TECHNICAL QNA
FOR PM
INTERVIEWS ASKED
FREQUENTLY

question & answer

 NUMBER 1
HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN ABOUT API TO
NON-TECHNICAL PERSON ?
Answer:
So i will give an example: Assume, you have a friend
named Rahul who is an excellent cook. Whenever you
crave something delicious, you could call Rahul and ask him
to prepare it for you. However, Rahul is often busy with
his own work, and it's not practical to disturb him every
time you want to eat something specific.
This is where APIs come into the picture. An API, or
Application Programming Interface, acts as an
intermediary between you and Rahul's cooking services.
Instead of directly calling Rahul, you can use an API
provided by him, which allows you to place your order
easily.
For instance, Rahul could create a mobile app or a website
where you can select the dishes you want, specify any
preferences or customizations, and place your order. This
app or website communicates with Rahul's kitchen through
an API, relaying your order details to him. Rahul then
prepares the ordered items and sends them back to you
through the same API.
The beauty of APIs is that they provide a standardized
way for different systems or applications to communicate
and share data or services. Without an API, you would
have to constantly bother Rahul or try to learn his cooking
techniques yourself, which can be inefficient and
impractical.
Key Pointers:
APIs act as intermediaries, facilitating communication
between different software components.
They provide a standardized way to access and use
data or services without needing to build everything
from scratch.
APIs enable different applications to share and
integrate data and functionality seamlessly.
They promote efficiency, scalability, and reusability in
software development.
APIs are widely used across various industries and
applications.
 NUMBER 2
YOU TYPE IN A QUERY ON GOOGLE.COM.
DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THE
POINT YOU HIT ENTER TO THE POINT YOU
GET RESULTS BACK?
Answer:
Absolutely! Let's break it down step-by-step.
1. Query Processing: When you enter a query on Google
and hit enter, Google first analyzes the query to
understand what you're looking for. It looks at the
keywords and phrases you used and tries to determine
the search intent.
2. Indexing and Crawling: Google has a massive index of
web pages, like a giant library. This index is
constantly updated by web crawlers, also known as
"spiders," that scan the internet for new and updated
web pages to add to the index.
3. Ranking: Google’s algorithms then analyze hundreds of
signals to rank these pages based on relevance and
authority. These signals include things like how
relevant the content is, the loading speed of the page,
how mobile-friendly it is, the number and quality of
links pointing to it, and user engagement metrics like
bounce rate.
4. Result Generation: Once the ranking is done, Google
selects the top results and organizes them for display.
5. Result Display: Finally, the search results page is
displayed to you, with the top-ranked pages listed
along with titles, descriptions, URLs, and other
metadata.
Key Pointers:
Query processing and understanding the intent behind
the search.
Utilization of Google’s massive web index, continuously
updated through crawling and indexing.
Advanced ranking algorithms considering content
relevance, page experience, link authority, and user
signals.
Selection and organization of top-ranked pages for
display in search results.
 NUMBER 3
WHAT'S THE GENERAL ARCHITECTURE OF A
SIMPLE VERSION OF TWITTER?
Answer:
Absolutely! Let's break it down step-by-step.
First and foremost, we have the front-end service layer,
which is the user-facing part of the system. This layer
includes the online GUI (Graphical User Interface), where
users can create and post tweets, view and interact with
other users' tweets, and manage their profiles. Behind
the scenes, client-side logic implemented using JavaScript
handles user interactions and updates the interface in
real-time.
Moving on, we have the back-end service layer, which is
the backbone of Twitter's functionality. This layer
consists of server-side logic, often built using languages
like Ruby on Rails. The server-side logic handles requests
from the front-end and interacts with the database to
store and retrieve tweets. Speaking of the database, this
is where all the tweets are stored. Initially, Twitter used
a MySQL database, but over time, it evolved to include
other databases and data storage solutions.
Now, let's talk about the search engine layer. This layer
is responsible for searching and retrieving tweets based
on user queries. It employs search algorithms to index and
query the tweets stored in the database, allowing users to
find relevant tweets and hashtags efficiently
One of the most important components of Twitter's
architecture is the queuing system, also known as the
middle layer. Twitter handles an enormous volume of
tweets posted per second, and this queuing system is
designed to process those tweets efficiently. It ensures
that the system can handle the high volume of requests
without slowing down.
Moving on, we have the authentication and authorization
component. Twitter uses authentication protocols like
OAuth 1.0a and OAuth 2.0 to manage user access and
ensure secure interactions between users and the system.
This is crucial for maintaining the integrity and privacy of
user data.
 NUMBER 3

Another important aspect of Twitter's architecture is

data retrieval. Twitter provides APIs (Application
Programming Interfaces) that allow other applications
and systems to retrieve and integrate Twitter data.
This enables seamless integration with various third-
party services and platforms.
Twitter's architecture is designed with scalability and
performance in mind. As the user base grows and the
volume of requests increases, Twitter's architecture
can handle the load and ensure high performance, even
during periods of rapid growth.
Finally, Twitter's architecture includes integration with
other services and platforms, such as SMS, email, and
other social media platforms. This integration allows
users to interact with Twitter across multiple channels
and enhances the overall user experience.
Key Pointers:
Front-end service layer for user interactions and
interface.
Back-end service layer for handling requests and
interacting with the database.
Search engine layer for indexing and querying
tweets.
Queuing system for efficiently handling high volumes
of tweets.
Authentication and authorization protocols for
secure user access.
APIs for data retrieval and integration with other
systems.
Scalability and performance considerations.
Integration with other services and platforms.
 NUMBER 4
LET'S SAY YOUR COMPANY'S WEBSITE IS
LOADING REALLY SLOWLY. WHAT MIGHT BE
SOME CAUSES, AND HOW COULD YOU GET
IT TO LOAD FASTER?
Answer:
First and foremost, it's crucial to monitor website
performance metrics to understand the root cause of
the issue. This includes measuring page load time,
counting the number of HTTP requests made by the
browser, and analyzing the server response time for
each request.
Next, we need to analyze the server performance.
Check if the server is shared or dedicated, as shared
servers can lead to slower performance due to resource
constraints. Additionally, ensure the server is located
close to the target audience to minimize latency.
Moving on, optimizing the website code is a critical
step. Minify and compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
files to reduce their size and improve loading times.
Implement browser caching and server-side caching to
reduce the number of HTTP requests. Optimize images
by compressing them without compromising quality.
Another important aspect is to check for heavy
elements on the website. Look for large images that can
be compressed or replaced with smaller versions, and
excessive Flash content, which can significantly slow
down page load times.
Utilizing performance tools like GTmetrix, Google
PageSpeed Insights, and WebPageTest can provide
valuable insights and actionable recommendations to
improve website speed.
Implementing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) is an
effective solution. A CDN caches website resources
across global servers, making them readily available to
users regardless of their location, resulting in faster
load times.
 NUMBER 4

Monitoring and analyzing user feedback through surveys,

feedback tools, heatmaps, and recordings can help
identify areas of improvement and understand user
needs and preferences.
Finally, regularly updating the website with the latest
software updates and speed optimization plugins is
essential to ensure optimal performance over time.
Key Pointers:
Optimize server performance and hosting.
Compress and optimize images and videos.
Minify and compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
files.
Implement browser and server-side caching.
Optimize the loading of third-party scripts and
render-blocking resources.
Use a CDN to distribute content efficiently.
Monitor performance metrics and user feedback
regularly.
 NUMBER 5
YOUR PRODUCT IS A VIDEO STREAMING
SERVICE, AND YOU WANT TO SAVE ON
BANDWIDTH COSTS. WHAT ARE SOME
IDEAS TO ADDRESS THIS?
Answer:
As a product manager for a video streaming service,
one of the critical challenges we face is managing
bandwidth costs effectively. Bandwidth is a significant
expense, and optimizing its usage can lead to substantial
cost savings while maintaining a high-quality viewing
experience for our users.
To tackle this challenge, I would propose a multi-
pronged approach leveraging various techniques and
technologies:
Implement Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR): ABR
dynamically adjusts the video quality based on the
viewer's internet connection and device capabilities.
By delivering the optimal stream quality for each
viewer, we can minimize unnecessary bandwidth
consumption, resulting in cost savings.
Deploy Advanced Codecs (HEVC or AV1): Newer
codecs like HEVC and AV1 can significantly reduce
file sizes compared to older codecs like H.264.
HEVC can save around 33% in bandwidth, while AV1
can save up to 58% compared to H.264, leading to
lower bandwidth requirements and cost savings.
Utilize Per-Title Encoding: This approach involves
analyzing individual video content and generating
custom bitrate ladders for each title. By optimizing
the bitrate for each piece of content, we can
achieve significant bandwidth savings, with potential
reductions of up to 72% in some cases.
Leverage Capped Constant Rate Factor (CRF)
Transcoding: This technique limits the maximum
bitrate for each title, helping us reduce bandwidth
costs for high-bandwidth content without
compromising quality.
 NUMBER 5

Create Device-Specific Video Manifests: By creating

separate video manifests for different device types
(e.g., mobile and smart TV), we can avoid sending
high-quality streams to bandwidth-constrained
devices like mobiles, where users may not notice the
difference in quality.
Optimize Encoding Presets Based on Content
Viewership: Carefully choosing the optimal encoding
preset for our video content can balance encoding
costs against bandwidth costs. For content with high
viewership, using a higher quality preset can be
cost-effective, as encoding costs become negligible
compared to potential bandwidth savings.
By implementing these strategies, we can effectively
manage bandwidth costs while maintaining a high-quality
viewing experience for our users, contributing to the
overall success and profitability of our video streaming
service.
Key Pointers:
1. Implement Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR)
2. Deploy advanced codecs like HEVC or AV1
3. Utilize per-title encoding with custom bitrate
ladders
4. Leverage capped Constant Rate Factor (CRF)
transcoding
5. Create device-specific video manifests
6. Optimize encoding presets based on content
viewership
 THANK YOU
AND
YOUR FEEDBACK
MATTERS

👉 FOLLOW AND LET'S

SOLVE THESE
CHALLENGES TOGETHER!
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