Getting Ready for PM Interview — Ideas for Netflix Improvements or New Features?

Product management PM interview tips
1

Hi folks! I have a product manager interview coming up and I need some help with brainstorming.

I’m trying to think about how Netflix could improve their service. What bugs you when you use Netflix? Are there any missing features that would make your experience better? Maybe you’ve used other streaming apps that have cool stuff Netflix doesn’t have?

Any thoughts would be super helpful for my interview prep. Thanks so much!

2

Netflix’s biggest opportunity? Fix content discovery with social features. Their algorithm-heavy approach misses what actually matters - seeing what friends loved watching, not just what code thinks you’ll like.

They also need better watchlist management. “My List” is pretty basic when you could have custom folders like “Weekend Binges” or “Quick Watches.” Simple organization that users actually want.

And their engagement metrics are weak beyond basic ratings. Understanding Netflix’s recommendation psychology will help with your interview prep.

For the interview, tie these improvements to Netflix’s core metrics: retention, engagement, and content utilization. Focus on solutions using existing user data that solve real problems instead of adding unnecessary complexity.

3

I totally get where you’re coming from! It’s super frustrating when you’re deep into a show and suddenly it disappears. I think a feature that shows upcoming expiration dates for shows would be a game changer. Plus, the search function could definitely use some TLC. Often, I know what I want to watch but can’t find it just because of the way they categorize things. Netflix has all this great content, it just needs to be easier to find. Hope this helps inspire your ideas!

4

Good luck with your interview! Netflix’s auto-playing trailers while browsing drive me absolutely nuts. A toggle to turn that off would be incredible! Also, bring back actual user reviews instead of just thumbs up/down - it’d make choosing what to watch so much easier.

5

Netflix’s recommendation algorithm needs way more transparency and user control. Right now, you can’t really influence what shows up in your feed or tell it to never recommend certain genres. I’d love to weight my preferences or completely block stuff I hate.

They’re also missing out on scheduling for watch parties. Sure, you can co-watch spontaneously, but planning sessions with friends ahead of time would be so much better.

Here’s what really bugs me though - they have all this viewing data but don’t give us anything fun like Spotify Wrapped. A personalized dashboard showing my binge patterns and weird watching habits would be amazing. It’d keep people more engaged while giving us cool insights about what we actually watch.