by @nurijanian on X

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This new format was covered by Aakash in this thread, but I thought I’d try to make something that can help people prepare for this interview. Scroll down for the steps and the prompts 🔽

https://x.com/aakashg0/status/1946316260096229456

Prep Plan

Step 1 - Clarify & Draft Mini-PRD

You are a Product Manager participating in a "vibe-coding" interview. Your task is to develop a product concept based on a given problem statement. The interview process consists of two steps: clarifications and creating a mini Product Requirements Document (PRD).

The problem statement you will be working with is:
<problem_statement>
{{problem_statement}}
</problem_statement>

Step A: Clarifications

First, you need to ask 5-7 questions to gather essential information about the product concept. These questions should cover the following areas:

1. Target user & pain point
2. Core use case(s)
3. Platform or latency constraints
4. Success metrics
5. Any out-of-scope items

Format your questions as a numbered list. After you've listed your questions, wait for the interviewer to provide answers before proceeding to Step B.

Step B: Mini-PRD

Once you receive answers to your clarification questions, you will create a mini Product Requirements Document (PRD) based on the information provided. The answers to your clarification questions will be provided in the following format:

<clarification_answers>
{{clarification_answers}}
</clarification_answers>

Using this information, generate a 1-page PRD in markdown format with the following sections:

1. **tl;dr** (1 sentence summary)
2. **Business Goals** (3 bullet points)
3. **User Goals** (3 bullet points)
4. **Non-Goals** (2 bullet points)
5. **Top 3 User Stories** (in the format "As a…, I want…, so that…")
6. **High-Level Flow** (5 steps)

Ensure that your PRD is concise, clear, and directly addresses the problem statement and the information gathered during the clarification stage.

Your final output should only include the numbered questions for Step A and the markdown-formatted mini-PRD for Step B. Do not include any additional commentary or explanations outside of these two elements.

Step 2 - Prototype

You are tasked with creating a UI flow and prototype instructions for a software project based on a mini-PRD (Product Requirements Document). Your goal is to provide a clear and detailed description of the user interface and instructions for creating a prototype.

Here are the input variables you will be working with:

<problem_statement>
{{PROBLEM_STATEMENT}}
</problem_statement>

<prd>
{{PRD}}
</prd>

Please carefully read and analyze the problem statement and PRD provided above. Based on this information, you will create two main parts: Part A (UI Flow) and Part B (Prototype Instructions).

Part A: UI Flow (3 screens)
For each of the three main screens in the application, provide the following information:
1. Screen name and purpose
2. Main elements (buttons, fields, lists)
3. When and where the core logic or API call happens
4. UI states (loading, success, error)

Ensure that your UI flow covers the main functionality described in the PRD and provides a logical user journey through the application.

Part B: Prototype Instructions
Write a step-by-step script that can be used in a development environment like Replit, Cursor, Lovable, V0, Bolt, or any sandbox. Include the following:
1. Instructions on how to wire up inputs to function/API calls to outputs
2. Any stub data or mock responses that should be used for testing
3. Tips on testing each state (loading, error, success)

Make sure your instructions are clear, concise, and easy to follow for a developer creating a prototype of the application.

Your final output should be structured as follows:

<output>
<part_a>
[Your UI Flow description for 3 screens, following the format specified above]
</part_a>

<part_b>
[Your step-by-step Prototype Instructions, following the format specified above]
</part_b>
</output>

Remember to base all your descriptions and instructions on the information provided in the problem statement and PRD. Do not include any additional features or functionality that are not mentioned in the input. Your goal is to create a clear and accurate representation of the requested application.

Step 3 - Code Core + Error Handling

You are tasked with implementing the core functionality of a given problem statement in a concise and efficient manner. Your goal is to write a code snippet that solves the problem in 20 lines or fewer, using either JavaScript or Python.

Here's what you need to do:

Part A: Core Snippet
1. Define a function or API call signature that encapsulates the main functionality.
2. Implement the logic to call your backend or a third-party API (you can use placeholder function names for these calls).
3. Parse the response and extract the key data.
4. Return the relevant information.
5. Include inline comments explaining each significant step in your code.

Part B: Error-Handling Enhancements
Extend your core snippet to handle the following scenarios:
1. Implement a retry mechanism for timeouts or network failures (up to 2 retries).
2. Handle unexpected or malformed data by providing a default fallback.
3. Add error logging for debugging purposes.

Your code should be written in the following language:
<language>
{{language}}
</language>

Here is the problem statement you need to implement:
<problem_statement>
{{problem_statement}}
</problem_statement>

Remember to keep your entire implementation (including both Part A and Part B) within 20 lines of code. Focus on writing concise, efficient code that solves the core problem while incorporating the required error-handling enhancements.

Your final output should be a single code block containing both Part A and Part B, with inline comments explaining the key steps. Do not include any additional explanations outside the code block. Ensure that your code adheres to best practices for the chosen language and is readable despite its concise nature.

<answer>
[Your code block goes here]
</answer>

Step 4 - Summarize Trade-Offs & Verbal Pitch

You have been provided with the following information for a project:

<problem_statement>
{{PROBLEM_STATEMENT}}
</problem_statement>

<prd>
{{PRD}}
</prd>

<prototype_flow>
{{PROTOTYPE_FLOW}}
</prototype_flow>

<instructions>
{{INSTRUCTIONS}}
</instructions>

<code>
{{CODE}}
</code>

Your task is to analyze this information and create a comprehensive overview of the project, including trade-offs, milestones, and a pitch. Follow these instructions carefully:

Part A: Trade-Offs
1. Review the PRD, prototype flow, instructions, and code.
2. Identify 3 product trade-offs (e.g., speed vs. flexibility).
3. Identify 3 technical trade-offs (e.g., cost vs. scalability).
4. List these trade-offs in bullet point format.

Part B: Milestones
1. Based on the project information, outline 3 key milestones.
2. Use "XX weeks" to indicate the time frame for each milestone.
3. Ensure each milestone is distinct and represents a significant step in the project's development.

Part C: 45-Second Pitch
1. Write a concise script (under 100 words) that covers:
   a. The problem and user pain points
   b. Highlights from the PRD
   c. The approach taken in the prototype and code
   d. Key trade-offs and next steps
2. Ensure the pitch is confident and compelling.

Your final output should be structured as follows:

<trade_offs>
Product Trade-Offs:
- [List 3 product trade-offs]

Technical Trade-Offs:
- [List 3 technical trade-offs]
</trade_offs>

<milestones>
Milestone 1: [Description] (XX weeks)
Milestone 2: [Description] (XX weeks)
Milestone 3: [Description] (XX weeks)
</milestones>

<pitch>
[Your 45-second pitch script, under 100 words]
</pitch>

Ensure that your final output contains only the content within the trade_offs, milestones, and pitch tags. Do not include any additional commentary or explanations outside of these tags.