How do you approach designing systems and architectures on a board?

When designing systems and architectures on a board, start by outlining the core components and their relationships. Use clear, consistent symbols to represent different elements like servers, databases, and networks. Begin with high-level architecture, showing major modules and how they interact, then gradually add detail to illustrate specific workflows or data paths. Keep the design organized and easy to follow, ensuring that all connections are logically depicted. This approach helps in clearly communicating your design intent and facilitates constructive feedback.

before solving any question, you have to read the question 3 times and understand all the requirements. After understanding the requirements write down all the points.

Clearly understand both functional and non-functional requirements. Ask questions to ensure you have a full picture of what the requirement is.

Thoroughly understanding the problem is the critical first step. This begins by identifying the key actors - users, admin, external systems and their specific requirements. Beyond user needs, it's vital to define the functional requirements - the features and capabilities the system must provide. Capturing non-functional requirements like performance, scalability, reliability, and security ensures the system meets critical quality attributes. Specifying data requirements including volume, and persistence is crucial. Defining user experience requirements helps guarantee an intuitive, user-aligned system. This thorough understanding lays the groundwork for making informed architectural design choices that truly address stakeholder needs.

Clear problem understanding is the linchpin of effective problem-solving. Prioritize clarity by asking insightful questions about scope, requirements, and constraints. Define goals and success metrics collaboratively. Writing key points on the board fosters a shared understanding. This proactive approach not only demonstrates your analytical skills but also ensures a solid foundation for generating thoughtful, accurate solutions. In a problem-solving scenario, communication and clarity are your allies.

When you’re asked to design a system or architecture on the board, I would recommend starting with a clear design approach. Think about what the system needs to accomplish and which components are essential. You might want to use well-established patterns, like microservices or monolithic design, depending on the requirements. It's important to have a structured plan before diving into the details so that you can manage your time and focus on the right aspects.

Crafting an effective solution involves a strategic design approach. Assess the problem's nature and opt for a top-down, bottom-up, or hybrid strategy. Clarify your choice by explaining its alignment with the problem's intricacies. Whether emphasizing the system's high-level overview, core functionalities, or a blend of both, showcasing your rationale highlights not just your technical acumen but your ability to tailor approaches to specific challenges—a key quality in effective problem-solving. Your chosen design approach is a testament to your adaptability and analytical prowess.

Choosing the right architecture is crucial for the success of your system. Create a high level flow diagram of the different services and features required. Opt for a microservices architecture to allow independent scaling and development of services like user management, product catalogue, cart service, and payment processing.

Transform your design approach into tangible sketches. Employ straightforward diagrams—boxes, arrows, labels—to illustrate system components and interactions. Ensure clarity by covering key aspects: architecture, scalability, reliability, security, and performance. Utilize colors or markers strategically to accentuate vital elements or highlight trade-offs. Effective visualization not only communicates your technical prowess but also enhances collaboration, allowing stakeholders to grasp complex concepts swiftly. On the board, your sketches become a visual narrative, guiding a comprehensive understanding of your solution's intricacies.

Once you’ve settled on the approach, I’d suggest sketching out the system components and how they interact with each other. You can use simple boxes for services, databases, or APIs, and then draw arrows to show how data flows between them. This visual representation will help you clarify how the system works and will make it easier for the interviewer to follow your thought process. Don’t worry about getting every detail perfect—focus on showing the key interactions.

When explaining your design choices, it's crucial to articulate why each decision was made, how it aligns with the requirements, and the benefits and trade-offs. While designing any system, I would initially look into the following aspects. 1. Scalability 2. Performance 3. Fault tolerance 4. Selecting the correct database based on the nature of data to be stored and processed.

Transform your design sketch into a compelling narrative by elucidating choices and trade-offs. Articulate the rationale behind database, protocol, algorithm, or pattern selections. Illuminate how each decision aligns with problem requirements and constraints. Dive into the advantages and disadvantages, showcasing your awareness of potential pitfalls. Discussing your approach not only reveals technical proficiency but also underscores your ability to think critically, fostering a deeper understanding of your strategic design choices. In explaining the intricacies, you not only showcase your technical proficiency but also create a collaborative dialogue with the interviewer.

After laying out the design, you’ll want to explain why you chose certain components or architecture patterns. For example, if you chose a message queue or load balancer, explain how it helps with scalability or fault tolerance. Interviewers appreciate understanding your rationale, so take the time to walk through your choices and demonstrate your thought process. This shows that you’re not just drawing random ideas, but thoughtfully considering how the design addresses the problem.

- Completion of design is just the beginning; validation and optimization are key. - Rigorously assess alignment with predefined goals and success metrics. - Conduct thorough testing to ensure functionality across scenarios. - Identify gaps and propose enhancements or alternatives. - Anticipate future needs such as scaling, monitoring, and updates. - This approach ensures immediate viability and demonstrates foresight. - Validating and optimizing bridges concept to a robust, adaptable solution.

Completion of the design is not the end; validation and optimization are paramount. Rigorously assess if your design aligns with predefined goals and success metrics. Conduct thorough testing, exploring scenarios to ensure functionality. Identify gaps or flaws and propose enhancements or alternatives. Anticipate future needs—scaling, monitoring, and updating. This meticulous approach not only ensures immediate viability but also showcases foresight and a commitment to continuous improvement. Validating and optimizing your design is the bridge from concept to a robust, adaptable solution.

Whenever possible, I encourage clients to briefly explain the rationale behind significant design choices in their projects. This can be a short bullet point or a part of a project description that illustrates their ability to make strategic decisions based on business needs or technical challenges.

Clear Communication: Use simple and precise language to describe your design, avoiding jargon and acronyms that may confuse the interviewer. Active Feedback: Ask for feedback or confirmation if you are unsure or stuck, ensuring you are on the right track. Passion and Enthusiasm: Show your enthusiasm and passion for the problem and the solution, demonstrating your commitment to the design. Defend Your Design: Be prepared to answer questions or defend your design, highlighting the thought process and trade-offs involved. Use real-world examples to illustrate your design decisions, making it easier for the interviewer to understand your approach.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful design review. Employ clear and precise language, steering clear of jargon or acronyms. Seek feedback when uncertain, showcasing humility. Infuse your dialogue with enthusiasm, underscoring your passion for both the problem and its solution. Anticipate questions and be ready to defend your design, fostering a collaborative and confident exchange. In navigating the communication aspect, you not only convey technical prowess but also foster a dynamic, engaging interaction with the interviewer.

With core architecture and design in place, it's essential to implement performance measurement and instrumentation to monitor system metrics like response times, throughput, and resource usage. This helps identify bottlenecks for optimization. Simultaneously, robust security measures, such as authentication, authorization, and encryption, must protect the system and its data. A real-time monitoring and alert system is also critical for visibility into system health and proactive issue detection. Lastly, a solid contingency plan for data backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity ensures resilience. Focusing on performance, security, and contingency ensures a reliable system.