Product Manager project
Write an evidence-based teardown of a real product
A structured critique of a product you don't own — the grade hinges on whether every claim has a screenshot behind it, not on having a strong opinion.
The brief
Pick a real, existing product (app or website) you don't work for. Map its core user journey step by step, identify one specific friction point with direct evidence (an annotated screenshot, not just a claim), and propose a concrete redesign for that one point along with the trade-off it introduces.
Suggested stack
What you hand in
- A published, viewable doc link with the journey map, the annotated evidence, and the proposal
- At least one annotated screenshot showing the specific friction point
- A one-paragraph statement of the trade-off your own proposal introduces
Grading happens against the rubric below, so read it before you start — not after.
How this is graded
Published in advance and weighted out of 100. Nothing here is a surprise.
The journey is mapped as actual steps and decision points a real user takes, not a generic description of what the product does.
The friction point is backed by a specific, annotated screenshot or reproducible example a reader could verify themselves, not asserted from memory.
The proposal is specific enough that a designer or engineer could act on it immediately, not a vague "improve the UX" statement.
The proposal names what it costs — engineering time, added complexity, or a metric it might hurt — rather than presenting itself as a free improvement.
No console errors or crashes, no broken layout, no leftover placeholder text or commented-out code.
Why this project is worth your weekend
- Analyzing a product you don't own, using only what's publicly visible, is the actual skill behind competitive analysis and a common take-home format.
- "Evidence, not opinion" is one of the biggest gaps between junior and mid-level PM writing, and it's easy for a reviewer to check.
- Naming the trade-off of your own proposal is what shows a PM isn't just pattern-matching "add a feature" onto every observed problem.
Where people lose points
- Describing what the product does instead of mapping the actual user journey with real steps and decision points.
- Asserting a UX problem exists with no screenshot or specific, reproducible example a reader could verify themselves.
- Proposing a fix with no acknowledgment of what it costs — engineering time, added complexity, or a metric it might hurt.
Other Product Manager projects
Two or three of these turn an empty resume into a portfolio.
Built it? Get it scored against this rubric.
Submit your work and get a score on every criterion above, written feedback, and three resume bullets you can use straight away.