List top 5 NFRs for Airbnb app
Asked in Airbnb product management interview
When we think of product management, the first thing that pops into our minds is features. But let me tell you a secret—features alone won't guarantee success. Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are the unsung heroes that ensure your platform delivers a seamless experience. Especially in a company like Airbnb, NFRs define the backbone of the product.
If you're prepping for PM interviews at Airbnb (or any platform-based company), you'd better know your NFRs inside-out. Let’s dive deep?
NFR 1: Scalability
Imagine this: it’s the holiday season, and millions of people are booking stays simultaneously. Your platform crashes. Nightmare, right?
Scalability ensures the platform can handle sudden spikes in traffic.
Key Considerations:
Edge Case: A new viral campaign drives unexpected traffic from an underserved market. Is the platform ready to scale regionally?
Capacity Planning: How will the system handle 5x or even 10x traffic spikes?
Estimation: Will infrastructure auto-scale based on demand without exceeding budgets?
💡 Pre-Mortem:
What if the server fails during peak hours? Build redundancy mechanisms with load balancers and failover strategies.
NFR 2: Reliability
Let’s say a host’s listing disappears from the search results right when they’re about to confirm a booking. Boom! That’s a potential loss of trust—and revenue.
Reliability ensures consistent platform performance and availability.
Key Considerations:
Corner Case: A new feature deployment introduces a bug that makes certain listings invisible.
Uptime: Airbnb must aim for "five nines" (99.999%) uptime for mission-critical systems.
Error Recovery: What’s the fallback when a server cluster goes down?
💡 Pre-Mortem:
What if a key database cluster crashes? Invest in distributed systems and ensure read-replicas are always available.
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NFR 3: Security
Airbnb handles sensitive user data, like payment info and personal addresses. A breach could lead to lawsuits and a tarnished reputation.
Security isn’t optional; it’s mandatory.
Key Considerations:
Risk Mitigation: Are we encrypting data both in transit and at rest?
Authentication: Are multi-factor authentication (MFA) and robust password policies enforced?
Threat Modeling: Have we considered potential attack vectors, like brute force or phishing?
💡 Pre-Mortem:
What if a hacker gains access to user data? Implement robust monitoring, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and regular security audits to minimize vulnerabilities.
NFR 4: Performance
Imagine a user is browsing listings, but each page takes 5 seconds to load. Frustrating, right? Poor performance can drive users straight to competitors.
Performance ensures fast and efficient user interactions.
Key Considerations:
Response Time: Are search results delivered within milliseconds, even during peak hours?
Page Speed: Are images and content optimized for fast loading on both
Latency: Are all regions experiencing the same seamless performance, or are some lagging due to server location?
💡 Pre-Mortem:
What if the platform becomes sluggish during a major event? Utilize CDNs, caching strategies, and performance testing to ensure global consistency.
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NFR 5: Maintainability
Imagine you’re rolling out a new feature and it unintentionally breaks existing functionality. Chaos ensues.
Maintainability ensures the platform is easy to update, debug, and enhance without introducing major risks.
Key Considerations:
Code Modularity: Is the codebase structured in a way that allows small updates without widespread impact?
Documentation: Are developers equipped with clear guidelines and documentation to avoid confusion?
Monitoring: Are there systems in place to quickly identify and resolve issues post-deployment?
💡 Pre-Mortem:
What if a new update causes cascading failures? Implement automated testing, CI/CD pipelines, and robust rollback mechanisms to minimize disruptions.
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