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Take on product management - Whatsapp

My Role

  • Product manager

My Responsibilities

  • User research

  • Market analysis

  • Roadmap definition

  • Timeline specification

  • Product Lifecycle Management

  • Communication

Project Duration

  • 3 months

A case study into product management

In 2024, I had the opportunity to dive into the world of product management through a foundational course. As part of this journey, I worked on an exciting case study exploring opportunities for enhancing the WhatsApp mobile app.

The focus of this project was to dig deep into user needs and uncover pain points, aiming to propose a feature that could elevate the user experience while staying aligned with WhatsApp's overarching goals and vision. It was a hands-on experience that challenged me to think critically, prioritize effectively, and make decisions with both the user and the business in mind.

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North star

Whatsapp in a mobile/desktop application, with focus on connecting people all over the world. They have set their north star as:

"To let people communicate anywhere in the world without barriers"

Objectives

After extensive research on user needs and pain points, through surveys, interviews, and deep dive into public platforms for user feedback, such as Reddit, we have identified 5 main objectives:

  1. Increase customer acquisition and retention,

  2. Market expansion,

  3. Increase customer satisfaction

  4. Target new customer segments,

  5. Differentiate products from competitors.

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Above all mentioned objectives, some of them (numbers 2 and 4) are covered within the new features and products of the Whatsapp business. Therefore we decided to focus on objectives 1 and 3, as our project objectives and make sure our product is aligned with these objectives:

  • Increase customer acquisition and retention,

  • Increase customer satisfaction

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Key results

  • Increase customer satisfaction score by 30%

  • Increase customer satisfaction score by the end of Q3, 2025

Decision tree

After user research through surveys and interviews and following up on online platforms, such as Reddit, we came up with main user problems and identified opportunities for improving their experience while using the app. Based on the decided direction (improve admin and group members in Whatsapp teams and communities), we assumed that enabling admins to share chat history with new members could help us to meet our defined key results. This decision was made based on technological discussions with our development and design team.

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Product definition

WhatsApp is introducing a new feature that enables admins to share their chat history with new members. This update aims to break down communication barriers and make onboarding smoother by providing new members with access to all past conversations and decisions, ensuring they have all the context they need from the start. The new feature is available on WhatsApp and WhatsApp business and affects group admins as primary users and new group members as secondary users.

Product goals 

End user

  • Provide new members with full or partial context upon joining a group (admin).

  • Reduce the workload during the onboarding process (admin).

  • A hassle-free onboarding process (new members).

  • Enable adding multiple users and sharing the chat history with them all together at the same time (admin).

  • Maintaining the possibility of not sharing the chat history with the users at all.(admin)

Business

  • Improve user satisfaction and retention by enhancing group communication.

  • Support WhatsApp’s mission of enhancing communication.

Product non-goal

  • The feature will not apply retroactively to members who joined before its launch,

  • The feature will not be designed to share chat history with all new members automatically—admins must manually initiate the sharing,

  • Advanced filtering and search options within the shared chat history (except for date filtering).

Product value proposition 

End user

  • Seamless onboarding for new members by providing immediate access to past conversations.

  • Saves time for admins and ensures continuity in group discussions.

  • Enhances overall communication and productivity within the group.

Business

  • Aligns with WhatsApp’s goal of enhancing communication and connection among users.

  • Increases user satisfaction and engagement within groups, leading to increased usage of the platform.

MVP decision

  • Mobile App, iOS Platform

  • First launch at : US

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KPI and success metrics

  • Decrease the usage of “Export chat” by admins on onboarding new members by 50% within the next quarter.

    • Track the usage of “Export chat” within first quarter of launch. This option is used as a work-around.

  • Attain an average user satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5 regarding the ease of onboarding, as measured by post-onboarding surveys, within the next three months.

    • Distribute a standardized feedback survey to new users within one week of onboarding completion. Collect and analyze the data to track the average satisfaction score and identify areas for improvement.

  • Achieve a 30% increase in weekly message activity within the group over the next six months for newly added members.

    • Track the number of messages sent and files shared per active user per week using the internal analytics dashboard.

Risks & Assumptions

Risks & Mitigations

  • Risk: Privacy concerns from users about shared chat history.

    • Mitigation: Ensure only admins can share history and only new members can view it.

  • Risk: Potential for increased storage requirements for users receiving large chat histories.

    • Mitigation: Compress the chat history data before sharing it with new members. This can significantly reduce the size of the data, helping to minimize the impact on storage.​

Assumptions

  • Assumption: Users will find the feature valuable and use it regularly.

    • Mitigation: Conduct user testing and gather feedback for continuous improvement.

  • Assumption: Admins will find value in manually sharing chat history to improve group onboarding.

    • Mitigation: Provide clear and concise onboarding materials or tutorials for admins that highlight the benefits of sharing chat history.

Product Roadmap

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Future direction

  • Adding advanced search and filtering options within shared chat history.

  • Share chat history will be available at any time for admins (after onboarding).

  • Continuously gather user feedback to improve the feature and address any concerns.

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