In this article we are going to design a car for blind person based on “CIRCLES Framework”. This is part of our free product management learning series. Lets take a quick look at this framework first. The CIRCLES method is a problem-solving framework that can be used to approach a wide range of problems or challenges. Each letter in the word “CIRCLES” stands for a step in the process:

• Comprehend the situation: The first step is to gain a thorough understanding of the problem or situation you are facing. This includes identifying the key stakeholders, understanding the root causes of the problem, and defining the desired outcome.
• Identify the customer: In order to design an effective solution, it’s important to identify the target audience or customer who will be using the solution. This includes understanding their needs, preferences, and constraints.
• Report the customer’s needs: Once you have identified the target customer, you need to document their needs and requirements. This may involve gathering data through surveys, interviews, or other methods.
• Cut through prioritization: With a clear understanding of the customer’s needs, it’s important to prioritize which features or solutions are most important. This may involve evaluating tradeoffs and making difficult decisions about which features to include and which to cut.
• List solutions: Based on the customer’s needs and priorities, brainstorm a range of possible solutions to the problem. This may involve creative thinking and generating ideas that are outside the box.
• Evaluate tradeoffs: Once you have a list of potential solutions, it’s important to evaluate their feasibility, cost, and potential impact. This may involve prototyping or testing different solutions to see how well they work in practice.
• Summarize your recommendation: Finally, based on all of the above steps, you should be able to make a clear and concise recommendation for how to address the problem or challenge at hand.

Overall, the CIRCLES method provides a structured approach to problem-solving that can help ensure that you are addressing the root causes of a problem and designing solutions that meet the needs of your target audience.

Design A Car For Blind Person using CIRCLES Method

During the Product Management Interview, it is important to follow a natural & logical flow rather than strictly using the below terms to solve the case study. Give the interviewer an overview of the approach that you are going to take before actually starting to solve the problem. Always state your assumptions and align it with the interviewer before moving from one step to another. Lets look at the broad steps to be analyzed to solve the case study.

1. Comprehend the situation:

First, we need to understand the needs and limitations of a blind person who would use a car. Blind people cannot see, so they will rely on other senses to navigate the car, such as hearing, touch, and possibly smell. They will also need to be able to control the car without visual feedback.

2. Identify the customer:

Our customer is a blind person who needs a car that they can operate safely and confidently.

3. Report customer’s needs:

The car needs to be designed with features that accommodate the needs of a blind person. Some of these needs might include:

• Audio feedback for speed, direction, and any obstacles in the car’s path
• Tactile buttons and controls that are easy to identify and use without visual feedback
• An interior that is easy to navigate and provides clear orientation cues
• Safety features that help prevent accidents, such as automatic emergency braking or collision detection systems.

4. Cut through prioritization:

To prioritize which features to include in the car, we might consider which needs are most critical for a blind person’s safety and comfort. For example, audio feedback and tactile controls would likely be more important than cosmetic features like the car’s exterior design.

You can use certain frameworks like RICE Matrix to prioritize the features.

The RICE matrix is a prioritization framework used to evaluate and rank different ideas or projects based on their potential impact, effort required, and other factors. Here’s how it works:

1. Reach: This refers to the number of people who will be affected by the project. It could be measured in terms of the size of the target audience, or the number of customers who will benefit from the project.
2. Impact: This refers to the degree to which the project will improve the overall experience for the target audience. This could be measured in terms of increased revenue, improved user satisfaction, or other metrics that are relevant to the project.
3. Confidence: This refers to the level of certainty that the project will deliver the desired results. Projects with a higher level of confidence are more likely to be successful, whereas those with a lower level of confidence may be riskier.
4. Effort: This refers to the resources required to complete the project, such as time, money, and personnel. Projects that require a lower level of effort are generally more desirable than those that require a higher level of effort.

Using these four factors, you can calculate a score for each project by multiplying the values for Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort together. This will give you a single score that can be used to rank and prioritize different projects.

Here’s the formula for calculating the RICE score:

RICE score = (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort

Once you have calculated the RICE score for each project, you can rank them in order of priority, with the highest scoring projects being the ones that should be tackled first. This can help you focus your efforts on the projects that are most likely to have a significant impact and deliver the best return on investment.

5. List solutions:

Once you prioritize the needs, list down the possible solutions for them. To meet these needs, some possible solutions might include:

• A voice-activated digital assistant that can provide audio feedback on the car’s speed, direction, and surroundings
• Large tactile buttons and knobs that are easy to locate and identify by touch
• Braille labels or other tactile markers to help the driver locate important controls
• Sensors that can detect obstacles in the car’s path and provide audio warnings to the driver.

6. Evaluate tradeoffs:

To evaluate the tradeoffs between different solutions, we might consider factors such as cost, feasibility, and effectiveness. For example, a voice-activated digital assistant might be very effective but could be expensive to implement. Tactile buttons might be simpler and cheaper, but may not provide as much information to the driver.

7. Summarize your recommendation:

Based on the needs of a blind person who needs to operate a car, we recommend designing a car that includes audio feedback, tactile controls, and safety features such as obstacle detection. The car should be designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, and should prioritize functionality over aesthetics. By incorporating these features, we can create a car that is safe and accessible for blind drivers.

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It is important to list out the assumptions during the interview process to ensure that the interviewer is also on same page as you. Lets list down the assumptions that we had taken to solve the above case study

• Assumption 1: Blind people rely on senses other than sight to navigate a car. While this is generally true, it’s important to note that not all blind people have the same level of vision impairment or sensory capabilities, so the specific needs of each individual should be taken into account.
• Assumption 2: Audio feedback is a critical feature for a blind person to operate a car safely. While audio feedback is likely to be helpful, it’s important to consider whether it alone is sufficient or whether other sensory feedback, such as vibrations or temperature changes, could also be useful.
• Assumption 3: Tactile controls are necessary for a blind person to operate a car. While tactile controls can be helpful, they may not be necessary for all blind drivers. Some drivers may prefer audio or voice-activated controls, while others may prefer a combination of tactile and audio feedback.
• Assumption 4: Safety features such as obstacle detection are important for a blind person’s safety. While these features can be helpful, it’s important to consider their limitations and potential for false alarms. Additionally, blind drivers may also benefit from features such as adaptive cruise control or lane departure warning systems.

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