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DoorDash·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Senior

Senior
Apr 2026

Summary

A case-style technical screen for an Analytics Engineer role at DoorDash. The whole thing was one big open-ended problem about building a fair compensation model for support agents, which sounds straightforward until you actually try to work through the fairness and incentive pieces under pressure.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

You're a data scientist embedded in a customer support team with access to all operational data. Design a methodology to allocate salary or a bonus component to each support agent based on the volume and quality of complaint tickets they resolved. Cover which metrics you'd use beyond raw ticket count, how you'd control for assignment bias and ticket difficulty, how you'd combine everything into a single score, and how you'd validate the system is fair and actually incentivizes the right behavior.

Product Analytics & MetricsA/B Testing & ExperimentationData Modeling
Author's notes

This one took me a minute to even figure out where to start.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by framing the problem as designing a fair, incentive-aligned compensation system that balances volume and quality while controlling for confounding factors. Outline a methodology that includes defining metrics, adjusting for assignment bias and ticket difficulty, combining into a composite score, and validating through statistical and behavioral checks. Emphasize iterative testing and monitoring to ensure fairness and desired outcomes.

Pro tip: Incentive systems often backfire: agents may game metrics like closing tickets quickly at the expense of quality. Propose a pilot with A/B testing and include guardrail metrics (e.g., customer satisfaction, reopen rates) to detect unintended consequences early.

1. Define Comprehensive Metrics

Identify metrics beyond raw ticket count: resolution time, customer satisfaction (CSAT), reopen rate, escalation rate, first-contact resolution, and ticket complexity. Use a mix of volume and quality indicators.

2. Control for Assignment Bias and Difficulty

Adjust for factors like ticket difficulty, customer segment, and assignment randomness. Use statistical techniques such as regression adjustment, propensity score matching, or random assignment in experiments to isolate agent performance.

3. Combine Metrics into a Composite Score

Normalize and weight metrics based on business priorities (e.g., quality over volume). Use a weighted sum or a more sophisticated model like a balanced scorecard, ensuring transparency and avoiding perverse incentives.

4. Validate Fairness and Incentives

Conduct fairness audits (e.g., disparate impact analysis), run A/B tests to measure behavioral changes, and monitor for gaming. Solicit agent feedback and iterate to align with desired outcomes.

5. Implement and Monitor

Roll out gradually, track key metrics over time, and set up alerts for anomalies. Continuously refine the system based on data and feedback to maintain fairness and effectiveness.

Key Points to Mention

  • Use of quality metrics like CSAT, reopen rate, and escalation rate alongside volume metrics.
  • Statistical methods to control for assignment bias and ticket difficulty (e.g., regression, matching, randomization).
  • Composite scoring approach with normalization and weighting, possibly using a balanced scorecard.
  • Validation through fairness audits, A/B testing, and monitoring for unintended consequences.
  • Incentive design principles: avoid gaming, align with business goals, and include guardrails.
  • Iterative process: pilot, measure, refine, and communicate transparently with agents.

AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.