core practice · system design prompt
STAR: a real failure
Write a STAR about a project that failed. Be specific about what you got wrong. End with what concretely changed in your behavior since.
The mechanism
A real failure cost something you cannot get back. A useful failure story names exactly what you got wrong, what you tried next, and what concretely changed in your behavior since. "I learned a lot" is not a lesson.
Expected evidence
starStory() returns { situation, task, action, result, metric: { name, unit, before, after }, behaviorChange (what concretely changed since) }. 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
- "It taught me a lot" is not a lesson.
- Pick a failure you actually moved past, not a fresh wound.