Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision with incomplete information.

• What was the situation?
• What information was missing?
• What decision did you make and how did you arrive at it?
• What was the outcome?
• What did you learn from the experience?

For example, perhaps you had to decide whether to launch a new feature without complete user testing data, or whether to pursue a new market opportunity without a full understanding of the competitive landscape. Maybe you had to make a critical hiring decision without all the information you needed about the candidate's past performance. The key is to show that you can assess risks, weigh potential outcomes, and make sound judgments even when things are uncertain. Be sure to articulate the reasoning that led you to your decision, and reflect on the lessons you learned from the experience. This demonstrates your adaptability, problem-solving abilities, and your capacity for learning and growth.

Intro

During my time as a software engineer at Google, I encountered a situation where I had to make a critical decision regarding the launch of a new feature for Google Maps. We were developing a real-time traffic incident reporting system, and I was responsible for leading the backend development. The challenge was that we were approaching the launch date, but the user testing data was incomplete due to unexpected technical issues during the testing phase. This meant we had to decide whether to launch with the available data or delay the launch, potentially impacting our product roadmap and user expectations.

Situation

Google Maps was developing a real-time traffic incident reporting system to enhance user experience by providing up-to-date traffic information. The feature allowed users to report incidents such as accidents, road closures, and speed traps directly through the app. This information would then be aggregated and displayed to other users in real-time, helping them make informed decisions about their routes. As the lead backend engineer, I was responsible for ensuring the system could handle a large volume of reports and provide accurate, timely updates.

Task

The primary task was to decide whether to proceed with the planned launch date despite the incomplete user testing data. The user testing phase had encountered technical issues that resulted in a smaller-than-anticipated data set. We needed to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of launching with the available data versus delaying the launch to gather more information. This involved assessing the impact on user experience, potential for inaccurate reports, and the overall reliability of the system.

Action

To address this challenge, I took the following steps:

• Data Analysis: I thoroughly analyzed the available user testing data to identify patterns and potential issues. This involved looking at the frequency of reports, accuracy of incident locations, and the system's ability to handle concurrent reports.
• Risk Assessment: I conducted a risk assessment to evaluate the potential negative impacts of launching with incomplete data. This included the possibility of inaccurate reports leading to user frustration, system instability due to unexpected load, and potential damage to Google Maps' reputation.
• Collaboration: I collaborated with the product management, QA, and UX teams to gather their perspectives and insights. This helped me understand the business implications of delaying the launch and the potential impact on user satisfaction.
• Decision Matrix: I created a decision matrix to weigh the pros and cons of each option. This matrix included factors such as the impact on user experience, the potential for system errors, the business value of launching on time, and the cost of delaying the launch.

After careful consideration, I recommended proceeding with a limited launch in a specific geographic region. This would allow us to gather real-world data and identify any issues before a full-scale rollout. We also implemented enhanced monitoring and alerting systems to quickly detect and address any problems that arose.

Result

The limited launch was successful. We gathered valuable real-world data that helped us identify and address several critical issues. For example, we discovered that the system was overly sensitive to false reports in certain areas, leading to inaccurate traffic information. We quickly implemented a filtering mechanism to reduce the impact of these false reports.

Additionally, we found that the system struggled to handle a high volume of reports during peak traffic hours. We optimized the backend infrastructure to improve performance and ensure the system could handle the load. The limited launch allowed us to make these improvements without impacting a large number of users.

Outro

This experience taught me the importance of making data-driven decisions, even when the data is incomplete. It also highlighted the value of collaboration and communication in navigating complex challenges. By carefully assessing risks, weighing potential outcomes, and gathering insights from multiple stakeholders, we were able to launch a successful feature that enhanced the user experience on Google Maps. Furthermore, I learned the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement to ensure the reliability and accuracy of our systems.