Software Engineering Radio - the podcast for professional software developers SE Radio 704: Sriram Panyam on System Design Interviews
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Jan 21, 2026 Sriram Panyam, a technical fellow with experience at GM, Google, and LinkedIn, dives into the nitty-gritty of system design interviews. He discusses what these interviews entail and who faces them, from juniors to managers. Sriram shares common questions and highlights the importance of handling ambiguity and requirements. He offers a structured approach for candidates, emphasizing time management and clear communication. Personal stories of his own interview experiences add a relatable touch, making this conversation both insightful and practical.
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What System Design Interviews Assess
- System design interviews assess experience designing scalable systems and trade-off reasoning.
- They evaluate maturity, technical ability, and time/expectation management across roles and seniority.
Clarify Scope First
- Clarify requirements and scope before sketching architecture.
- Drive what part of a large system you'll design to match the interview's timebox.
Failure Led To A Breakthrough
- Sriram failed early design interviews by throwing buzzwords without requirements.
- A pivotal Uber interview taught him to work backwards from the first failing request and reason quantitatively.
