Round 4: Duration: 70 mins

Interview panel: Senior Director of Product Management and Director of Product Development. The interviewers started by describing the format of this final round of interviews. It was a case-based interview.

Case Study 1:

We have a product which is Curtis brand of the coffee machine, let’s assume it is a dump product. The goal is to have a digital platform connectivity solution running wherein we can track the real-time status of machines in a dashboard. How would you envision or approach a dump coffee machine to achieve smart product features?

In simpler language, the question was; design a smart coffee machine.

Case Study 2:

Current Platform Background:

Currently Curtis brand of coffee machine is utilizing Microsoft Azure standard protocols for data housing. All data is transmitted via the LTE network. Dashboards are managed through PowerBl (3-4 hour refresh cycle for dashboards). Plans for live data monitoring via Azure Workbook to be implemented by mid-year 2024. Roughly 60k+ units on the platform for the North American market at present, hopeful for 100k by EOY 2025.

Current Remote Capabilities:

• Old Generation Equipment: Digital platform capable of sending graphics only remotely with customer confirmation per machine to implement.
• New Generation Equipment: Digital platform capable of sending graphics/recipes/grinder adjustments and calibrations remotely with customer confirmation per machine to implement OTA software updates planned for release latest Q3 on New Generation equipment only.
• The current sales method for digital features is to pair with Preventative Maintenance or Managed Service contracts (previously low-market success selling digital features on their own).

Goal of Discussion (Questions):

1. To minimize cost, what strategy would you recommend for the hardware solution on site, and what sort of flexibility would it need to have for future expansion?
2. How would you recommend managing the network topology/data consolidation on site, given that the current platform for the other 2 brands sends data packets per machine via LTE to the platform backend?

In simpler language, the question was: To minimize cost without degrading the into of the product,

1. What kind of data communication technology would you integrate into coffee machines placed in different cafes across the US? Give an understanding of how that tech would work.
2. Explain how would you break down this technical problem of capturing real-time data from coffee machines across the US and utilizing that data in a dashboard.

The last question was: Do you have any questions for us?

Suggestion: Ask good and relevant questions.

For case study 1: Practice product design questions. Giving mock interviews is highly recommended.

For case study 2: Having some technical expertise/background would help. Some fundamentals of networks and communication, data structures, and database management would help.

Good Luck