Product design question
Give me 10 ways that you will improve a trash can.
- Capital One
- Product design
- Easy
Practice this question out loud. An AI interviewer asks it, follows up like a real interviewer would, and scores your answer. Type or speak.
Start a mock interview on this question · Mock interview from a job description
What this question tests
Tests rapid, broad ideation ability and the ability to organize scattered ideas into clear, distinct categories.
How to approach it
- Organize ideas by category rather than a random list: sensing and automation, sustainability, hygiene, accessibility.
- Sensing: a foot-pedal or motion-sensor lid for hands-free hygiene, and a fill-level sensor that alerts when near-full for smarter collection routing.
- Sustainability: built-in sorting compartments for recyclables, compost and trash to reduce contamination.
- Hygiene: an odor-sealing lid and an antimicrobial liner material.
- Accessibility: a lower, adjustable height and lighter lid mechanism for wheelchair users or those with limited grip strength.
What a strong answer includes
- Groups the 10 ideas into clear categories rather than a random list, showing structured thinking even in a lightweight exercise.
- Includes an accessibility idea, often missed in a purely cool-tech brainstorm.
- Balances high-tech ideas with low-tech, high-impact ones like sorting compartments.
Common mistakes
- Giving 10 random, redundant ideas, like three variations of add a sensor, without categorization.
- Ignoring low-tech, high-impact ideas like sorting compartments or accessibility.
Likely follow-up questions
- Which of these 10 would you prioritize to build first, and why?
- How would you validate demand for a smart trash can before building it?
More product design questions
- Design a referral system for a grocery app.Google · Product design · Medium
- Design a product to choose cheese.Capital One · Product design · Easy
- How would you design a cafeteria app for employess?Microsoft · Product design · Easy
- Design an app for the DMV (California’s Department of Motor Vehicles).Google · Product design · Medium
- How would you improve medium?Google · Product design · Easy
- How would you design a trash can?Google · Product design · Easy
More questions from Capital One
Learn the skill behind it
Chapters of the AI PM course that teach what this question tests.
- Chapter 4: Discovery and strategy for AI products
- Chapter 7: AI UX and human oversight: design for a system that is wrong sometimes
- Chapter 14: Get the job: the AI PM interview loop