Why Most Engineers Fail Before They Start

This is Part 2 of the System Design Interview series for members. Most candidates think system design interviews are about architecture. They’re not. Before scalability, before databases, before caching — there is one critical step that determines whether you pass or fail. In this video, I walk through a structured thinking framework that experienced engineers use — but rarely articulate. No gimmicks. No buzzwords. Just a mental model that changes how you approach open-ended problems. If you’ve ever felt uncertain at the beginning of a system design interview, this video is for you.