Uber PM Jam Session

In a nutshell, the Jam Session is a live, brainstorming session. Uber sends you a “prompt”—essentially, a real-world challenge that Uber is currently facing. This could be something like optimizing Uber’s marketplace or innovating within a specific area of Uber’s services. 

Your job? Lead a team of stakeholders (which will likely include fellow PMs and might also include Data Scientists, UX designers, or Engineers), towards a well-thought-out solution. 

Can you inspire collaboration? Can you draw out the best ideas from the group? And most importantly, can you structure the discussion in a way that leads to actionable outcomes? It's an interactive, high-energy environment where you'll be bouncing ideas off each other.

Key Insights:

• If you're applying for a role below Uber’s Group Product Manager (GPM) level, chances are, this will be limited to a brainstorming session. You’ll have 24-48 hours before your onsite visit to prep for this.
• If you’re aiming for a Group Product Manager role or higher, things get a bit more intense. You’ll get a full week to prep and instead of just brainstorming, you’ll be expected to prepare a full presentation. 

We've got 7 tips for you:

Think Big Picture, Then Zoom In

You don't want to get tunnel-visioned on the immediate problem—what the prompt explicitly asks you to solve. You need to be able to think beyond the direct users the problem statement influences. Does this solution impact other parts of Uber’s marketplace? Could it affect the broader transportation industry or Uber’s long-term business goals? 

Let’s say the prompt involves improving driver engagement. Sure, that’s about drivers, but what’s the knock-on effect for riders, delivery times, or even supply-demand balance? Once you’ve set the stage, zoom in to tackle the real problem. 

Guide, Don’t Prescribe

This might be the most important piece of advice for the Jam Session: don’t be the one talking the most. As a PM, you’re supposed to lead through influence, not command. You won’t have all the answers—and you’ll be working with teams full of intelligent, opinionated people. Your role is to ask the right questions, get everyone talking, contributing, bring out different perspectives, and keep the discussion on track. If you’re working with a data scientist, ask them to dive into the numbers behind a potential solution. If you have a UX designer, lean on them to help refine the user experience. 

However, that doesn’t mean you should be completely hands-off. Have an opinion and share it when necessary.

Use Data to Drive the Discussion

We don't mean flooding the discussion with numbers, charts, and overly technical details. But it’s a great conversation starter, especially since Uber is as data-driven as it gets. You need to use it to anchor key points or spark a discussion while encouraging more thoughtful ideas.

For example, if you're asked to improve rider retention, and someone brings up a stat like “20% of churn happens during the first 5 rides.” That’s a strong insight, but what’s next? The real value comes in how you interpret it and guide the group toward solutions. Should you consider offering more discounts for first-time riders? Would it help in the long-term? Does it build loyalty? What else could make the experience stickier?

See what you’re doing here? You're using a well-placed insight to shape the session naturally while keeping the big-picture strategy in mind.

Structure Over Chaos

The brainstorming session can get chaotic. It’s your job to structure the conversation—even when participants start going off in different directions. Bring it back to the core issues, highlight key decisions, and ensure the group is moving forward with clarity. 

Be Flexible

Your ability to adapt is just as important as your ability to stay structured. If new ideas come up or the team starts challenging your direction, you’ll need to pivot and show that you’re not rigid in your thinking. Be open, ask for feedback, and adapt the plan accordingly. 

Embody Uber’s Core Values

At the end of the day, Uber cares about fit just as much as skills. Keep Uber’s core values in mind during the Jam Session (values like moving fast, being bold, focusing on impact, and building social value). Wherever you see an opportunity, try to naturally weave in how your approach aligns with these values. For example, if you’re brainstorming a product feature, it might be a good idea to see how you can drive social value (perhaps by being more inclusive or ensuring better accessibility).

Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally - and this is crucial - practice, a lot. Just being ready with the content isn’t enough. You need to brace yourself for an interactive, high energy environment, where you're bouncing ideas off intelligent opinionated people—and the conversation can go down a tangent you didn't expect—and that's by design. Plus, you’ve got limited time to drive a bunch of insights toward actionable outcomes - while also adequately demonstrating the full range of your competence and fit. So practice is key, ask friends for help, or go to a professional platform like Prepfully to get practice with any one of the Uber PMs who have been mentoring countless candidates.