intro practice · system design prompt
STAR: peer conflict
Write a STAR about resolving a disagreement with a peer. Show the other person’s reasoning fairly; describe how you de-escalated.
The mechanism
Conflict means information surfaced — two people disagree about something that was probably already there. Resolution is naming the disagreement clearly, finding the shared goal underneath, and choosing a path forward. It is not the same as winning.
Expected evidence
starStory() returns { situation, task, action, result, metric: { name, unit, before, after }, theirCase (the peer’s reasoning, stated fairly) }. 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
- Steelman the counter-position.
- End with what you would do differently.