2D Individual Reflection

Our project is to improve an already-established real estate platform. We wondered how we could uncover untapped opportunities in this market with established leading companies. Initially, we considered various tracks, exploring diverse user demographics such as college students, immigrants, and second-language users. Eventually, we chose to focus on college students, recognizing the immense market potential within this segment. However, even after narrowing our focus, we realized that translating our ideas into an effective pitch was not as straightforward as initially thought. We encountered the complexities of crafting a narrative amidst multiple potential solutions and business models. Moreover, before our first pitch in 4A, we did not realize that it was difficult to present the problems effectively to the audience though we ourselves understood the problems clearly.

Our PM mentor, Albert, provided invaluable guidance throughout our project’s development. The first piece of advice by Albert was the importance of defining a clear user segment. He emphasized understanding user behavior and extracting essential customer insights. Albert also encouraged us to delve into the motivations of landlords who lease to students, helping us in developing more features for landlords. Moreover, Albert emphasized the significance of students’ significant lifetime value. This insight made us wonder how we could ensure their return and create recurring revenue over the long term. We explored ideas such as establishing a one-stop-shop for recurring traffic. As we refined the structure of our project, we added slides outlining how students typically navigate the problem, offering the audience valuable context. We also contrasted the existing solutions with our approach, demonstrating our advantages.

As I reflect on this experience, I have realized that this journey has equipped me with a deeper understanding of product management. I have learned the importance of user-centricity, compelling narratives, and prioritization. In the process, I had the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities such as creating prototypes and conducting user interviews. I look forward to applying these valuable lessons and learning more about product management.