The Challenge
A Product Manager hiring challenge from Turbo AI: take a fuzzy vision from a non-technical founder and turn it into something clear, scoped, and buildable.
The Situation
Alex runs a medical supply distribution company managing patient orders through complex Excel spreadsheets. She wants a web-based internal tool to replace it.
The catch: Her vision is scattered and incomplete. The PM's job is to discover what she really needs vs. what she thinks she wants.
Deliverables
1. Written Requirements Plan
- Problem statement and goals
- V1 roadmap broken into 2-week sprints
- Sprint 1 detailed specs
- Technical risks and open questions
- AI tools usage documentation
2. Clickable Prototype
High-fidelity, interactive Figma prototype covering Sprint 1 features only—focused, polished, and well thought-through.
3. Client Presentation
5-minute video presenting the proposal as a real client checkpoint.
My Approach
Discovery
- Identified core pain points in Excel workflow
- Separated "nice to have" from "must have"
- Proposed simpler solution than originally requested
Scoping
- Broke full vision into buildable 2-week sprints
- Defined clear Sprint 1 with unambiguous specs
- Considered edge cases and error states
Design
- Created high-fidelity prototype in Figma
- Focused on improving actual team workflow
- Designed for realistic constraints (1 full-stack engineer)
Evaluation Criteria Met
| Criteria | Approach |
|---|---|
| Scoping & Shaping | Discovered real requirements, shaped into buildable chunks |
| Design Judgment | Prototype that genuinely improves workflow |
| Technical Fluency | Broke problems into logical systems |
| Client Communication | Clear, confident presentation |
| Quality & Detail | Edge cases, error states, realistic constraints |
| AI Tool Usage | Leveraged AI for speed and quality |
Key Learnings
- Simplify ruthlessly — The best solution is often smaller than what the client imagines
- Sprint 1 is everything — If the first delivery doesn't work, there won't be a Sprint 2
- Specs need edge cases — Engineers appreciate when you've thought through the weird scenarios
- Prototypes sell — A clickable demo communicates more than 10 pages of requirements
Tools Used
- Figma for high-fidelity prototyping
- AI assistance for requirements documentation
- Video recording for client presentation