System design interview scorecard
A free self-review rubric for a timed mock interview. Score six observable skills, write down evidence from your answer, then use the lowest score to choose one focused drill.
How to score a system design mock interview
Rate each skill from 0 to 2 after the round. Give yourself 0 if you skipped it, 1 if you tried but left gaps, and 2 if your reasoning was clear and tied to the requirements. Record a specific moment or sentence as evidence instead of judging the round by how confident it felt.
These six dimensions come from the SysGeeks practice exercises. This is a self-review aid, not an employer rubric or a prediction of a hiring decision.
| Skill | Evidence to look for |
|---|---|
| Trace | Follow a request, event, or state change across the system. |
| Explain | Describe how a mechanism works, beyond naming a tool. |
| Defend | Compare an alternative and state the cost of your choice. |
| Change | Adapt when traffic or a requirement shifts. |
| Break | Predict a concrete failure and explain detection and recovery. |
| Implement | Connect a guarantee to the API, data model, or code that enforces it. |
Choose one drill for the lowest score
Do one focused exercise, then repeat the same prompt with a changed requirement. That tests whether you can reason through the design instead of recalling the answer you just reviewed.
- TraceDraw one read and one write path. Name each boundary and the state it changes.
- ExplainExplain one mechanism without naming a vendor. Say what state it keeps and how it handles retries or failure.
- DefendCompare two plausible designs. Choose one for a stated requirement and name the cost you accept.
- ChangeMultiply traffic by ten or add a requirement. Change only the parts the new constraint affects.
- BreakStop a worker, duplicate a message, or time out a request. Explain detection, recovery, and user-visible behavior.
- ImplementWrite the API or state transition that enforces one guarantee. Include the condition that makes retries safe.
Print the scorecard or save it as a PDF
The two-page worksheet has space to record your evidence, debrief the round, and plan the next mock. It is free to download and does not require an account.
Download the free PDF scorecardPublished by SysGeeks. Practice scores are not hiring predictions.