Prepare for Your Google Interview: Systems Design

Summary

This video offers valuable tips for candidates preparing for a systems design interview at Google. It emphasizes the importance of communication, problem understanding, and collaborative problem-solving. Candidates are advised to think aloud, ask clarifying questions, and demonstrate an ability to design scalable, efficient systems. The video also highlights the need for concrete and quantitative solutions, realistic considerations, and the ability to make informed trade-offs. Lastly, it provides best practices for the interview day, including explaining thought processes and iterating on solutions.

Takeaways

• 🎉 Congratulations on landing an on-site interview with Google!
• ⏰ Be aware that the interview will have significant time constraints and you will not be coding.
• 🗣️ Communication is crucial; demonstrate your ability to articulate your thought process and problem-solving steps.
• 🤔 Think out loud during the interview to show how you arrive at solutions.
• 💬 Ask questions and engage in a collaborative problem-solving approach, as Google values teamwork.
• 🌐 Consider scalability in your solutions, as Google deals with planet-scale data and systems.
• 🔍 Ask clarifying questions to understand the problem deeply, as real-world problems are often ambiguous.
• 📈 Be prepared to discuss system component properties like latency, throughput, and storage, and provide numeric estimates.
• 💼 Understand the trade-offs and compromises in system design, such as storage costs versus latency.
• 📚 Know industry solution patterns like sharding, replication, and load distribution to enhance your design proposals.
• 📝 Practice explaining your thought process on paper or a whiteboard, as this will be essential during the interview.

Q & A

What is the key focus of the video script provided?

The video script focuses on providing tips and advice for preparing for a systems design interview at Google. It covers areas such as communication, designing with scale in mind, concrete and quantitative solutions, managing trade-offs and compromises, and overall best practices.

Is coding involved in the interview process described in the script?

No, the script clearly states that coding will not be part of the interview process.

What is expected of candidates in the first 20 minutes of the interview?

Candidates are expected to gather requirements and develop an initial solution within the first 20 minutes of the interview.

Why is communication important in the interview process according to the script?

Communication is important because it is key to how Google approaches developing and building their products. It helps in understanding a problem and designing a solution, and it is crucial in a collaborative workplace like Google.

What does Google expect from candidates in terms of problem-solving during the interview?

Google expects candidates to think out loud, demonstrate their thought process, and show how they arrived at their solution. They also want candidates to ask clarifying questions and consider multiple valid solutions.

What is the significance of designing solutions with scale in mind at Google?

Designing with scale in mind is significant because Google deals with planet-scale data and compute systems. Solutions must be scalable enough to reach a wide audience, reliable, and efficient in resource use.

What kind of questions might candidates be asked to assess their ability to design scalable systems?

Candidates might be asked how they can tell if the system is working, identify bottlenecks, understand how multiple components and APIs work together, and provide service to users globally.

What are some of the system component properties that candidates should be prepared to discuss?

Candidates should be prepared to discuss properties such as latency, throughput, and storage, and provide numeric estimates for these properties.

Why is it important for candidates to consider the costs and latencies of various operations during the interview?

It is important because Google needs engineers who can solve real-world problems concretely and quantitatively. Understanding the costs and latencies of operations like reading from disk, memory, local area network, and cross-continental network helps in designing efficient systems.

What are some of the trade-offs and compromises that candidates might be asked to identify and describe during the interview?

Candidates might be asked to identify trade-offs such as storing data on a rotating disk for lower cost but increased latency, versus using a flash drive for quicker retrieval but higher cost.

What are some best practices candidates should keep in mind for their actual interview day?

Candidates should explain their thought process, ask for clarification, consider multiple solutions and commit to one, and practice on paper or a whiteboard to prepare for the interview.

Outlines

00:00

🎯 Interview Preparation at Google

This paragraph introduces the on-site interview process at Google, emphasizing the importance of communication and collaboration. It outlines the expectations for the initial 20 minutes, where candidates are to gather requirements and develop an initial solution. The paragraph also highlights the need for candidates to think out loud and demonstrate problem-solving abilities. Google's collaborative environment is stressed, where teams work together to solve complex, ambiguous problems with multiple valid solutions. The interview is designed to be open-ended, encouraging candidates to ask clarifying questions and delve deeper into the problem at hand.

05:02

🌐 Scalability and System Design Considerations

The focus of this paragraph is on the scalability of solutions and the design of systems that can handle Google's global user base and data. It discusses the importance of designing systems that are scalable, reliable, and resource-efficient. Candidates are expected to consider system component properties such as latency, throughput, and storage, and provide numeric estimates for these. The paragraph also touches on the practical aspects of system design, including the laws of physics and the costs and latencies of various operations. It advises candidates to be prepared to discuss industry solution patterns and to make trade-offs and compromises in their system designs.

🤔 Trade-offs, Compromises, and Interview Best Practices

This paragraph delves into the necessity of making trade-offs and compromises in system design, and how candidates should be prepared to discuss these during the interview. It provides examples of potential trade-offs, such as choosing between storage cost and latency. The paragraph also offers best practices for the interview day, encouraging candidates to explain their thought process, ask for clarification, and iterate on their initial solutions. The importance of practicing on paper or a whiteboard is highlighted, as candidates may not have access to their usual resources during the interview.

📞 Support and Anticipation for the Interview

The final paragraph offers support to candidates by encouraging them to reach out to their recruiter with any questions about the upcoming interview. It conveys a sense of anticipation and excitement for the opportunity to meet candidates at Google's global offices.

Keywords

💡On-site interview

An on-site interview is a face-to-face meeting with a potential employer, typically at their office, where candidates demonstrate their skills and knowledge. In the context of the video, landing an on-site interview with Google is a significant achievement, indicating the candidate has passed initial screening processes and is now being considered for a position in a more in-depth manner.

💡Communication

Communication is the act of conveying information through speech, writing, or other means. In the video, it is emphasized as a crucial skill in the interview process at Google. Effective communication helps in understanding problems and designing solutions, showcasing one's thought process and facilitating collaboration, which is integral to Google's work culture.

💡Designing with scale

Designing with scale refers to creating solutions that can handle large amounts of data or user interactions. Google, being a global company, requires systems that can scale to meet the needs of a vast user base. The video mentions the importance of considering scalability in system design, ensuring that solutions are not only functional but also capable of expanding as demand grows.

💡Trade-offs

Trade-offs involve making decisions that involve giving up one thing in order to gain another. In the context of the video, Google interviews assess candidates' ability to identify and explain trade-offs in system design. This could involve choosing between cost, latency, or storage, and explaining the rationale behind these choices.

💡Collaborative workplace

A collaborative workplace is an environment where employees work together to achieve common goals. Google emphasizes teamwork in solving complex problems, as highlighted in the video. This concept is important as it reflects the company's approach to innovation and problem-solving, requiring candidates to demonstrate their ability to work effectively in teams.

💡Underspecified problems

Underspecified problems are those that are not fully defined, leaving room for interpretation and exploration. The video mentions that interview problems will be deliberately underspecified to mimic real-world scenarios where solutions are not always clear-cut. This tests a candidate's ability to ask clarifying questions and think critically.

💡Scalability

Scalability is the ability of a system to handle increased load without degradation in performance. Google's systems are designed to serve a global audience, and the video stresses the need for candidates to demonstrate an understanding of how to design scalable systems. This involves considering factors like latency, throughput, and storage.

💡System component properties

System component properties refer to the characteristics of the various parts of a system, such as latency, throughput, and storage. The video mentions that candidates should be prepared to discuss these properties and provide numeric estimates, showing an understanding of how these components contribute to the overall system performance.

💡Sharding

Sharding is the process of distributing data across multiple machines or databases to improve performance and manageability. The video suggests that candidates may be asked to explain how data can be sharded, which is a common technique in designing scalable systems, especially when dealing with large datasets.

💡Replication

Replication is the process of creating copies of data to ensure reliability and availability. In the video, replication is mentioned as an industry solution pattern that candidates should be familiar with. It is a critical aspect of system design, particularly in ensuring data consistency and fault tolerance.

💡Load distribution

Load distribution is the process of spreading work across multiple resources to optimize performance and resource utilization. The video hints at the importance of understanding how to distribute load in system design, which is essential for managing the demands of a global user base and ensuring system reliability.

Highlights

Congratulations on landing an on-site interview with Google!

Tips and advice on how to best prepare for the interview are shared.

The interview will cover communication, designing with scale in mind, concrete and quantitative solutions, managing trade-offs and compromises, and overall best practices.

No coding will be involved in the interview.

Significant time constraints are present, with a focus on gathering requirements and developing an initial solution within the first 20 minutes.

Communication is key in the work at Google, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating this quality during the interview.

Understanding a problem and designing a solution are both valuable parts of the interview process.

Interviewers want to see the thought process and how the final answer is arrived at.

Google is a collaborative workplace, emphasizing the need to work together to solve big, often ambiguous problems.

The problem in the interview will be deliberately underspecified, requiring candidates to ask clarifying questions.

Google deals with planet-scale data and compute systems, requiring solutions that are scalable, reliable, and resource-efficient.

Candidates should be prepared to discuss system component properties such as latency, throughput, and storage.

Numeric estimates and clear justifications for system design are expected.

Candidates should consider the laws of physics and the costs and latencies of various operations in their designs.

Whiteboard access is provided during the interview for resource estimation and design diagramming.

Knowledge of industry solution patterns like sharding data, replication types, and load distribution is important.

Candidates are expected to identify systematic shortcomings and describe how the system responds to various failures.

Candidates should be prepared to make trade-offs and compromises in their system designs.

Candidates are encouraged to explain their thought process and problem-solving approach during the interview.

Candidates should ask for clarification and be open to improving their initial solutions.

Practice on paper or a whiteboard is recommended for interview preparation.

Transcripts

You've done it. You've landed an on-site interview with Google.

Congratulations!

My fellow Googlers and I would like to share our tips

and advice on how to best prepare.

In this video, we will cover communication,

designing with scale in mind,

concrete and quantitative solutions, how you manage trade-offs and compromises,

and overall best practices.

But before we jump into the core focus areas of this interview,

here are a few things to note.

You will not be coding in this interview.

There will also be significant time constraints.

We'll expect you to gather requirements and to develop an initial solution

in the first 20 minutes.

So please be sure to use your time wisely.

Communication is incredibly important in the work we do at Google.

And that's because it's key to how we approach developing

and building our products.

In your interview, it's important to demonstrate those qualities.

Understanding a problem and designing a solution

are both valuable parts of the interview process.

We want you to think out loud.

We don't just want to see the final answer.

We want to understand how you arrived at it.

Google is a collaborative workplace

where projects are planned and executed by teams.

Those teams have a mission to work together

to solve big, often ambiguous problems.

And those problems can have multiple valid solutions.

So, tell us how you plan to solve those problems,

and be sure to ask questions.

And remember, we're not looking for one specific answer.

The problem you will solve during your interview

will be deliberately underspecified.

We leave those questions open-ended because real problems

require you to dig deeper.

You will need to ask clarifying questions.

At Google, we deal with planet-scale data and compute systems every day.

Our applications serve a global user base.

Simply identifying a solution is just the beginning.

A solution must be scalable enough to reach a wide audience,

reliable enough to meet our users' needs,

and still make efficient use of our resources.

During this interview, we'll be assessing you on your ability

to design systems that scale.

Questions you may want to keep in mind include:

How can we tell that the system is working?

Is there a bottleneck in the design?

If there are multiple components, what are the APIs

and how do they work together?

How can we provide great service to users all around the planet?

And long gone are the days when everything you design

could easily fit onto a single machine.

So, we may give you a large data set to work with

and ask you to explain how it can be sharded among multiple worker machines.

Or we may present you with a request which can be answered

by any one of a pool of machines

and ask you to identify the fastest machine and discard the rest.

You should also be prepared to discuss system component properties

such as latency, throughput, and storage.

We want to see numeric estimates for these properties,

such as how many requests per second the system can handle.

Also be prepared to provide clear justification

of how the design backs up these numbers.

Our systems impact users across the globe.

We need engineers who can solve real world problems concretely and quantitatively.

So when designing, you should always consider reality and the laws of physics.

You should also have a general idea of the costs and latencies

of various operations such as: read from disk, read from memory,

local area network round-trip, and cross-continental network.

During your interview, you will have access to a whiteboard.

You can use this to estimate the resources needed to run your system

or to diagram your proposed design.

You should know industry solution patterns like sharding data, replication types,

write-ahead logging, separating data and metadata storage,

and basic kinds of load distribution.

As a systems designer at Google,

you will have to make trade-offs and compromises.

In your interview, we'll ask you to identify systematic shortcomings

and describe how the system responds to various failures.

We want you to lay out the trade-offs and compromises

you made and explain your reasoning.

Do you store data on a rotating disk and pay less money

for the storage at the cost of increased latency?

Or do you put the data on a flash drive

where you're able to retrieve it quickly but pay more money?

These are questions that could come up during your interview.

We're looking for systems designers that can consider multiple solutions,

commit to one, and then iterate on it.

Now that you have the focus areas,

here are some overall best practices to keep in mind

for your actual interview day.

We want to understand how you think,

so it's important to explain your thought process during the interview.

We're not only evaluating your technical ability

but also how you solve problems.

Many questions will be deliberately open-ended to give us an idea

of how you solve technical problems.

We encourage you to ask for clarification.

And we all know that our first solution may not be the best one.

So, once you've come up with an answer to a question,

think about ways to improve upon it and let your interviewer know

what you're thinking.

And lastly, practice on paper or a whiteboard.

During the interview, you may not have access to resources you normally use.

And those are our tips to help you prepare for a systems design interview at Google!

If you have any questions about your upcoming interview,

you can always reach out to your recruiter.

We're here to help.

And we look forward to seeing you at one of our offices around the world soon.