Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague. What was your approach to resolving the disagreement, and what was the outcome? How did you ensure that your interaction remained professional and respectful, even with differing viewpoints?

For example, imagine you're working on a new feature for an e-commerce platform. You believe that a simplified checkout process will lead to higher conversion rates, while your colleague argues that adding more security steps is crucial, even if it adds friction for the user. Describe the situation, your reasoning, your colleague's reasoning, and the steps you took to reach a resolution that benefited the project and maintained a positive working relationship. What did you learn from this experience?

Introduction

I'd like to share an experience from my time at Google, while working on the Google Photos team. We were in the process of redesigning the photo sharing flow. I had a disagreement with a senior engineer about the optimal approach for user authentication during the sharing process.

Situation

We were tasked with streamlining the photo sharing experience in Google Photos. The existing flow required users to go through multiple steps to authenticate and grant permissions, which led to a high drop-off rate. The goal was to make sharing smoother and more intuitive, while also maintaining a high level of security and privacy.

Task

My task was to propose a new authentication flow that would reduce friction for users while ensuring that shared photos were only accessible to the intended recipients. I believed that implementing a simplified, context-aware authentication process would be the best solution. This involved leveraging existing Google account information and device-based authentication to minimize the need for explicit user input.

Action

• Proposed Solution: I proposed a solution that used a combination of implicit and explicit authentication methods. For users already logged into their Google accounts on their devices, the system would automatically grant sharing permissions based on their existing credentials. For new users or those on different devices, a simplified, one-time verification process would be implemented.
• Colleague's Counter-Argument: A senior engineer on the team argued that my approach was too lenient and could potentially expose user photos to unauthorized access. He advocated for a more stringent authentication process, involving multi-factor authentication (MFA) for every sharing instance.
• Data-Driven Discussion: I presented data from user studies and A/B tests that demonstrated the high drop-off rate associated with the existing authentication flow. I also highlighted the security measures we had in place to detect and prevent unauthorized access, such as anomaly detection and device verification.
• Compromise and Collaboration: After several discussions, we agreed to a compromise. We implemented a risk-based authentication approach, where the level of authentication required would depend on the sensitivity of the photos being shared and the user's sharing history. For example, sharing a single, non-sensitive photo with a trusted contact would require minimal authentication, while sharing an entire album with a new contact would trigger MFA.
• Professionalism and Respect: Throughout the process, I made sure to maintain a professional and respectful tone, even when disagreeing with my colleague. I actively listened to his concerns, acknowledged his expertise, and focused on finding common ground. I also made it clear that my primary goal was to improve the user experience while ensuring security and privacy.

Result

The risk-based authentication approach proved to be successful. We saw a significant increase in the photo sharing completion rate, without compromising security. User feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many users praising the new, streamlined sharing experience. My colleague and I developed a stronger working relationship based on mutual respect and trust.

Conclusion

This experience taught me the importance of data-driven decision-making, compromise, and effective communication in resolving disagreements. It also reinforced the value of maintaining a professional and respectful attitude, even in challenging situations. By focusing on the common goal of improving the product and user experience, we were able to reach a solution that benefited everyone involved.