Tell me about a time you ran into a conflict with a project. How did you handle it?

Intro

I'd like to share an experience from my time at Google, where I was part of the team developing a new feature for Google Maps. This project involved integrating real-time traffic data with user-reported incident information to provide more accurate and timely navigation guidance. During the development, a conflict arose between two senior engineers regarding the choice of data storage solution. This situation presented a challenge, but it ultimately led to a more robust and efficient system.

Situation

• I was working on a new feature for Google Maps that aimed to improve navigation accuracy by incorporating real-time traffic data and user-reported incident information.
• The team consisted of software engineers with varying levels of experience, including two senior engineers who had strong opinions on the project's architecture.
• A conflict arose between these two senior engineers regarding the choice of data storage solution for handling the real-time data.

Task

• My task was to help resolve the conflict between the two senior engineers and guide the team towards a decision that would benefit the project.
• This involved understanding the concerns and perspectives of both engineers, evaluating the pros and cons of each proposed solution, and facilitating a collaborative discussion to reach a consensus.
• The goal was to select a data storage solution that would meet the project's requirements for performance, scalability, and maintainability.

Action

• I initiated one-on-one conversations with both senior engineers to understand their concerns and perspectives.
• One engineer advocated for using a NoSQL database, such as Cassandra, citing its ability to handle large volumes of unstructured data and provide high write throughput.
• The other engineer favored a relational database, such as PostgreSQL, emphasizing its support for complex queries, data integrity, and ACID transactions.
• I gathered data on the performance characteristics of both database systems, including read and write speeds, scalability limits, and operational overhead.
• I organized a meeting with the entire team to discuss the pros and cons of each database system and facilitate a collaborative decision-making process.
• During the meeting, I presented the data I had gathered and encouraged both engineers to share their perspectives and concerns.
• I facilitated a discussion in which the team explored alternative solutions and considered the long-term implications of each decision.
• After a thorough evaluation of the options, the team decided to use a hybrid approach, combining Cassandra for real-time data ingestion and PostgreSQL for analytical queries.

Result

• The team successfully resolved the conflict and selected a data storage solution that met the project's requirements.
• The hybrid approach allowed us to take advantage of the strengths of both Cassandra and PostgreSQL, resulting in a more efficient and scalable system.
• The project was completed on time and within budget, and the new feature was well-received by Google Maps users.
• The successful resolution of the conflict improved team cohesion and morale.

Outro

This experience taught me the importance of effective communication, active listening, and collaborative decision-making in resolving conflicts within a team. By understanding the concerns and perspectives of all stakeholders, gathering relevant data, and facilitating a collaborative discussion, I was able to help the team reach a consensus and select a solution that benefited the project. I also learned the value of exploring alternative solutions and considering the long-term implications of each decision. This experience has helped me grow as an engineer and has equipped me with valuable skills for resolving conflicts in future projects.