Tell me a time when you created a product or feature without the client asking for it

This question can be a bit difficult to grasp initially, but it essentially aims to understand your proactivity, innovation skills, and user-centric thinking. Interviewers are asking for an instance where you saw a potential gap in a product or feature and acted on your own initiative to create or enhance it, without being explicitly asked by a client. Here are some key points to remember when you answer this question:

1. Detail the circumstance: What was the product or service? What did you identify was missing?
2. Describe your approach: How did you come up with the solution? What steps did you follow?
3. Outline the execution: How was the new feature introduced and integrated?
4. Discuss the outcome: In what way did it benefit the customers/users or your business?

Overall, you need to formulate a response that showcases your forward-thinking abilities, your problem-solving skills, and your ability to act independently.

While working as a Software Developer at XYZ Corp, we had a client that utilized our cloud storage solution. From regular interactions and feedback sessions, I noticed that many users had issues understanding how to maximize their storage allocation, causing a significant chunk of their allotted space to go unused. Although the client didn't specifically request this, I recognized an opportunity to better our service.

I proposed the creation of a smart management tool that gives users a visual breakdown of their storage utilization, and recommends efficient file management options. My team and I conceptualized, designed, and integrated this feature into our cloud storage solution.

The new feature was well-received by the client and end-users, resulting in a 25% increase in customer satisfaction scores. Users appreciated having tangible insights and automated recommendations on managing their file storage. This initiative led to the feature being implemented across our product offerings, positively impacting our overall market reputation.

In my role as a Product Manager at ABCD Inc., we had a successful web-based project management tool. As a regular user of the platform myself, I realized that the notifications system could be quite cluttered and overwhelming, making it easy to miss crucial updates - even though the client did not specifically ask for any changes.

I suggested adding a feature that would allow the users to personalize notification categories and set preferences based on project importance. I created a detailed plan and pitched it to my supervisor and development team.

The feature was implemented and had a significant positive effect on usability and efficiency. After the launch, we saw a 35% reduction in complaints relating to missed notifications. Moreover, it proved impactful when we shared this in our marketing messages, it served as a unique selling point that differentiated our tool from the competition."