One of the most common mistakes I see in product management interviews is how candidates approach clarification questions. Often, these questions feel rehearsed and pro-forma—they don’t actually help the candidate answer the interview prompt effectively. While it’s important to ask clarification questions, not all questions are created equal, and many can actually detract from your response. Let’s break down the types of clarification questions, the pitfalls they present, and how to ask them with purpose.

2. Inquiring about Content Typically Covered in the Interview: These questions are more about the context of the task at hand:

• “What is the objective of this product?”

• “Why is the company pursuing this?”

3. Clarifying Ambiguities in the Prompt: These questions help ensure you don’t misinterpret the question:

• Unclear prompt: “What does volunteering entail in this case?”

• Insufficient background information: “Is Instagram Reels for sharing with close friends?”

Why you should think twice

Expanding the Prompt

These questions can actually box you in. Asking for time restrictions, scope, or regional focus can force the interviewer to impose limitations that wouldn’t otherwise exist. For example, you might ask, “How much time do I have to solve this problem?” The interviewer says, “10 minutes,” when in reality, if you hadn’t asked, they might have been more flexible, allowing you to stretch your creative muscles.

Recommendation:

Instead of seeking boundaries, stay open-ended. If the prompt itself doesn’t specify a limitation, assume you’re allowed to explore different directions. That way, you maintain control over the answer. Meanwhile, remember that you can simply assume that the constraint you want exists. Just say that you are assuming, for example, that you have 6 months to complete the MVP.

If you want to have a constraint, be sure you intend to use it during the answer. For instance, if you intend to have an MVP in 6 months, make sure that your solution can be feasibly completed in that time. Warning: this may prove harder than it’s worth!

Remember that you can always include the content you would be asking about here in the body of the interview. Are you interested in particular regions? Why not consider this in the customer segmentation section?

Inquiring About the Content Typically Covered by You

Asking questions about objectives or why the company is pursuing something may reflect negatively on you. The interviewer may expect you to infer or deduce this yourself. For instance, if you ask, “Why is the company introducing this product?” you might be signaling that you don’t know how to identify strategic priorities, which is a critical skill for product managers.

Recommendation:

Do your best to provide your own analysis for why a company might be doing something, or why a particular objective makes sense. In general, presume that a question you’re asking can be answered by you, and if you can’t, then consider asking it.

Remember that you want to include as much substance as possible within the body of the interview response, and nesting it into the “header” of the interview can make your answer seem disjointed.

Instead, expand upon your ideas in an appropriate section. Want to talk about whether engagement is the right objective for a product you’re designing? Talk about it in the goals section.

Clarifying Ambiguities in the Prompt

This is where clarification questions shine. When prompts are vague or terms aren’t clearly defined, asking clarifying questions helps you avoid spending time on irrelevant aspects or misinterpreting the core problem. For example, if a prompt asks how you would measure success for “community involvement,” and you’re unsure what type of involvement they mean, clarifying that term is crucial.

Recommendation:

Don’t hesitate to clarify ambiguous terms. Phrasing like, “Can you clarify what success looks like in this context?” ensures that you and the interviewer are aligned on what’s being discussed, saving you from going down the wrong path.

Clarification Questions Are Only Useful When They Help You Answer the Question

Ultimately, the key to asking good clarification questions is ensuring they bring you closer to answering the core prompt. If a question doesn’t move you toward a better answer, don’t ask it.

Here’s a useful rule of thumb: If a clarification question helps you avoid a wrong assumption or gives you vital context, ask it. If it imposes unnecessary constraints or asks for something you should be able to deduce, avoid it.

Final Thoughts

Good product managers are comfortable operating in ambiguity, and part of the interview process is showing you can do that. Being strategic about the clarification questions you ask demonstrates that you understand how to gather just enough information to solve the problem effectively.

By focusing on what actually serves the purpose of your response, you’ll be able to stand out in your interview and show the interviewer you think like a product manager.

Bonus insights: If you need more help with your interview prep, check out all of Product Simply for coaching sessions and our celebrated eCourse for more insights on how to improve your performance.