End system design interviews

One of the most important and fundamental aspects of building a strong team is a rigorous and efficient hiring processes that selects the best candidates. One mainstay of the software engineering interview process is the system design interview. This type of interview typically involves a candidate being presented with a hypothetical problem and asked to design a system to solve it. While it may seem like a reasonable way to assess a candidate's technical abilities, there are several reasons why it's time to end system design interviews.

First, the evaluation criteria for system design interviews is entirely subjective. This leads to confirmation bias, where if the candidate thinks of the problem in the same way as the interviewer, they're likely to be judged better, even if other answers may be just as correct or even better. Moreover, the interviewer's personal experience and expertise will influence their evaluation of the candidate's solution, which further reinforces the subjectivity of the process.

Second, it's hard to convey to the candidate what they're being evaluated on. Unlike coding exercises where the expected output can be clearly defined and communicated to the candidate, system design interviews lack this clarity. This can lead to confusion and anxiety for the candidate, making it difficult for them to present their skills and abilities effectively.

Third, given the short time frame of the interview, you're seeing the candidate's first impression of the problem. In practice, it's rare to design a system simply by taking your first impression without any deeper thought. Thus, the system design interview may not accurately reflect the candidate's true abilities.

Last, given the above, provided there weren't any red flags that demonstrated obvious gaps in knowledge, the system design interview provides little-to-no valuable signal. Even if a candidate performs well in a system design interview, it doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be a good fit for the company or that they'll excel at their job. Similarly, many talented and qualified candidates are passed on due to poor evaluations on system design questions.

In conclusion, the system design interview as part of the interview process for software engineers is ineffective. Its subjective nature, lack of clarity, and short time frame make it an unreliable indicator of a candidate's abilities. Companies should consider alternative methods, such as project-based assessments, to accurately assess a candidate's technical skills and potential fit for the role. By doing so, companies can ensure that they're hiring the right talent for their organization, leading to better outcomes for both the company and the candidate.