How to Develop Product Intuition
Follow this time tested method to start thinking about product design like elite Silicon Valley Product Managers
Product Managers (PMs) are responsible for guiding their teams to make the best design decisions for their customers. A significant part of product development involves recognizing how existing design patterns solve user problems across various industries. By understanding and leveraging these patterns, PMs can craft better experiences tailored to their users.
Experienced PMs have a wealth of knowledge to draw from—they’ve encountered countless challenges and can recall past successes to inform their decisions. But for new and junior PMs, building this "memory bank" of product archetypes takes time. To accelerate this learning process, you need a structured approach to recognizing effective product patterns and understanding why they work.
In this article, I’ll share a method that will fast-track your ability to analyze design decisions, helping you build a deep intuition for product development. By following this approach, you’ll also gain confidence in quickly sketching user flows—a valuable skill for interviews and collaboration with designers.
Build Product Intuition by Sketching Your Favorite Apps
The following method will help you break down the design patterns of apps you love, giving you insight into the reasoning behind their decisions. As a bonus, it will also enhance your ability to create quick design mocks and engage in meaningful conversations with designers.
Step-by-Step Method:
Choose Three Apps You Love
Pick three applications from different industries (e.g., Spotify for music, Airbnb for travel, Robinhood for investing).
Sketch User Flows from Memory
For the first app, identify a critical action a user would take.
Without looking at the app, sketch three screens that lead the user to complete that action.
Example: If using Spotify, the action might be finding and sharing a favorite song. Your sketches could include:
The home screen
The search results screen
The sharing flow
Analyze Your Sketches
Ask yourself: Why was each step designed the way it was?
Write down your thoughts on how the flow supports the user’s journey.
Compare with the Actual App
Now, go back and sketch the same flow while looking at the app.
Compare your initial sketches with the actual designs.
Ask: What differences and similarities do I notice?
Identify Design Tradeoffs
Reflect on the changes and think about them from the product team’s perspective.
Consider: What user need or tradeoff might have led to this decision?
Repeat for the Other Two Apps
Follow the same process for the remaining apps on your list.
Compare Home Page Designs
Once you’ve completed all three exercises, analyze how each app structures its home screen.
Ask: Why do these apps present information differently? What are their priorities and assumptions about user behavior?
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve just reverse-engineered the thought processes that took experienced PMs years to develop. This exercise equips you with the ability to:
Recognize effective design patterns
Understand the tradeoffs behind product decisions
Confidently discuss design choices in interviews and team discussions
By making this a habit, you’ll sharpen your product intuition, allowing you to identify, adapt, and apply successful design principles to your own work. Now, go grab a notebook and start sketching!
And here’s a quick picture of me helping one of my best friend’s get ready for his wedding. The same attention and care you take in breaking down complex design challenges, sometimes can also help you pay attention to the small fashion details that matter during the biggest days.
Disclaimer:
The views, opinions, and advice shared here are my own and do not represent the views of Spotify or any past or current employer. This content is independent and created for educational and professional development purposes only.
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