intro practice · system design prompt
STAR: explaining to a non-expert
Write a STAR about explaining a technical concept to a non-technical stakeholder so they could make a decision. Show the analogy or framing you chose.
The mechanism
Good communication is audience-first: after listening, the other person's next decision should be easier. Be specific, not sophisticated. One sharp analogy beats five vague ones.
Expected evidence
starStory() returns { situation, task, action, result, metric: { name, unit, before, after }, analogy (the actual framing you used) }. The checker enforces structure only: four distinct sections of 20+ words, action the longest, 150+ words total, before ≠ after, and the result section must name the metric and state its after value. Aim for 250-350 words — that is the interview bar, not the checker’s.Try this drill in the practice workspace →
Hints when you need them
- One core analogy beats five small ones.
- Audit: what does the stakeholder need to decide?