PS: Design VR Product for Elderly

	B	C	D	E	F	G

2	Product Sense Interview Template
3
4	Interview Question	Design a VR product for elderly people
5	Interview Question	Design a VR product for elderly people
6
7	Existing / New				👈	Tip: Before starting, determine whether this is improving an existing product vs building a new product. This will help inform the segments, problems, and solution space.
8
9	Before I dive in, would like to make some up front assumptions if that works for you? 👇
10	⏰ <1 min	Assumptions
11	Assumptions	First, given Meta's existing Quest ecosystem and expertise in VR, I'll assume we'll be building within that platform rather than creating standalone hardware. Second, I'll focus on the US market since I'm most familiar with it. And third, I'll assume we're focusing on people aged 65+ living independently or in assisted living facilities.			👈	Tip: clarify the prompt means something specific, narrow in on geography/market to serve, and if it makes sense, state an assumption that you'll want to build within the [parent company] ecosystem
12	Assumptions
13
14	I’d like to start by describing the product, why it exists, why the company would care about investing in it, and set a placeholder mission statement for the product. Then, I’ll break down the audience for this product and define a segment to focus on. From there, I'll identify key Problems for that segment along a user journey and prioritize one. I'll then brainstorm solutions before picking one. If we have time, I’d love to describe the v1 for this solution. Does this sound like a good plan for our time together?				👈	Tip: spend the 30-45 seconds to say this. It will set the tone for the interview.
15
16	I'll now take a minute to describe the product, why it matters, and define a placeholder mission statement 👇
17	⏰ 2-3 min	Motivation/Mission
18	Describe the product	Virtual Reality is an immersive technology that allows users to enter and interact with computer-generated environments through a headset.			👈	Tip: Describe the product by providing an overview of its basic features.
19	Why does it matter	For Meta specifically, entering the elderly care space through VR represents a meaningful opportunity to expand VR's impact beyond gaming and entertainment while serving a rapidly growing demographic. The aging population is increasingly at risk for social isolation and cognitive decline, areas where VR's immersive nature could provide unique value. Many in this audience already have FB accounts. Additionally, Meta's expertise in social connection and community building could be leveraged to create meaningful experiences for this audience.			👈	Tips: (1) Touch on competitive landscape, how it ties to the company's mission. (2) Connect to something deep: why is this product meaningful in the world, what did people do before it existed and why life is better now.
20	Placeholder mission statement	To enhance the quality of life of older adults by connecting them with immersive experiences that promote social engagement, cognitive health, and joy			👈	Tip: Use this during Segmentation when rating the "Underserved Degree" and in the solution
21
22	I'll now take a minute to define the ecosystem players and pick one to go deep on with segmentation. Sound good? 👇
23	⏰ 10 min	Target Audience
24	Ecosystem Players (stakeholders)	Elderly people Caregivers/family members Healthcare providers and medical professionals Senior living facilities and their staff VR content creators/developers Insurance providers who might cover therapeutic VR uses Physical/occupational therapists who could incorporate VR			👈	Tip: Before going deep on segmentation, identify the key players in the ecosystem. These are groups with with incentives / skin in the game.
25	Ecosystem Players (stakeholders)				👈
26	Selected Ecosystem Group with rationale	For this exercise, I'd like to focus on the elderly users themselves. While the other players are critical stakeholders, I believe focusing on the end users will allow us to create the most direct impact aligned with our mission of enhancing quality of life through immersive experiences.			👈	Tip: Pick ecosytem group that sets you up for success later and make sure you have good rationale to share with interviewer. E.g. demand vs supply in a 2-sided marketplace
27	I'll now take a couple minutes to formulate some potential segements and pick one. Sound good? 👇
28	Motivational Groupings (optional)	Social Connection Seekers - primarily motivated by staying connected with family/friends Health & Wellness Focused - motivated by maintaining cognitive/physical health Entertainment & Recreation - seeking enjoyment and new experiences Life Skills & Independence - motivated by maintaining daily living capabilities			👈	Divide selected ecosystem group into mutually exclusive sub-groups based on primary motivations for the product/experience. (note: motivations groupings are more useful for brand new product / consider skipping for existing product).
29	Segmentation Heuristics	Physical mobility level Tech comfort/experience Living situation (independent vs assisted) Family proximity Activity level Budget Health status			👈	Tip: use motivations, lifestyle, behaviors, usage patterns (can combine with demographics if helpful)
30	Segmentation		Reach/Size	Underserved Degree	👈	Segmentation within selected ecosystem player
31	Segment 1	Active Social Seniors Live independently Relatively tech-savvy Physically mobile Family lives far away Looking to stay connected and engaged	high / med / low	high / med / low		Segmentation Checklist
32	Segment 2	Health-Conscious Limited Mobility Seniors Some physical limitations Live in assisted living Moderate tech comfort Focused on maintaining health Have regular medical oversight	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Behavior-based
33	Segment 3	Independent but Isolated Seniors Live alone Limited tech experience Physically capable Local family limited/none Seeking connection but hesitant	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Mutually exclusive
34	Tip: After picking a segment, I would suggest crafting a persona that brings that segment to life and then use that persona to identify problems in the next step.					✅ Avoid niches
35	Segment Persona	Margaret, a 75-year-old former teacher living in an assisted living facility. She has some arthritis limiting her mobility but is mentally sharp and motivated to stay healthy. She uses a smartphone but isn't particularly tech-savvy. She has family who visit monthly but wants to stay more connected between visits.				✅ Segments have unique pain points
36
37	Let me take a couple minutes to think through the user journey for the persona we picked and identify a few key problems they might encounter. Then, I'd like to prioritize one problem to brainstorm potential solutions. ... sound good? 👇
38	⏰ 10 min	Problem Identification
39	User Journey	Daily Life Journey: Morning: Wake up, basic care routine Physical therapy/exercises Group activities in facility Afternoon: Lunch with other residents Rest/quiet time Family calls/communication Social activities Evening: Dinner TV/entertainment time Prepare for bed Weekly Activities: Monthly family visits Doctor/medical appointments Group exercise classes Community events Religious services			👈	Tip: Outline key steps of the user journey. Then identify key problems at different stages of the journey to ensure uniqueness of problems.
40	Problems along the journey		Frequency	Severity		Problem Checklist
41	Problem 1	Feels disconnected during the long gaps between monthly family visits, existing video calls feel impersonal	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ People problems
42	Problem 2	Finds afternoon rest time isolating but has limited mobility to join group activities in the facility	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Unique
43	Problem 3	Misses attending religious services and community events due to mobility constraints when arthritis is acting up	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Prevent realizing mission/value
44
45	Let me take a couple minutes to brainstorm potential solutions for the problem we picked. Then, I'd like to prioritize one solution and share how I might design a v1 to test along with any key risks to consider. ... sound good? 👇
46	⏰ 10 min	Solutions	Impact	Effort	👈	Tip: moonshots don't count more than practical solutions, the key is solving the problem.
47	Solution 1	Family Memory Theater - Shared VR space that looks like Margaret's old living room - Family can upload photos/videos that appear as 3D memories - Multiple family members can join virtually to relive memories together	high / med / low	high / med / low		Solution Checklist
48	Solution 2	Virtual Family Activities - Suite of simple shared activities like card games, puzzles, gardening - Family members can join from mobile/desktop/VR - Voice chat automatically activated when joining - Seated experience optimized for comfort	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Solves the problem
49	Solution 3	"Family Window" Passive Connection - Always-on portal that feels like a window into family's home - Family can set up camera in common area (kitchen, living room) - Margaret can easily "peek in" throughout day - Family members get mobile notification when Margaret is viewing	high / med / low	high / med / low		✅ Unique
50	Tip: After picking a solution, if you have time, describe how you might de-scope the first version of the solution to ship an MVP and a couple key risks you would consider/mitigate.					✅ Not science fiction (has path to MVP)
51	⏰ 5 min	MVP Description / what to test first
52	MVP description	Two simple activities: card game and collaborative puzzle Cross-platform support (Quest for Margaret, mobile for family) Simplified one-button joining for Margaret Auto-activated voice chat Basic presence indicators (hands, head) Comfortable seated position requirements only			👈	Tip: Describe MVP in compelling but not overly granular language. Paper sketches are great. Tip: Match the scale of the big tech companies for learnings.
53	Risks to consider/mitigate	Family member adoption/consistency of use Technical barriers for less tech-savvy family members Internet reliability in facility Need for initial in-person guidance/setup Potential for miscommunication without full body language			👈	Tip: These are risks like legal/compliance/etc. Shows thoughtfulness.
54
55