Asana·Software Engineer·Technical Phone Screen·Intermediate

IntermediatePrefer not to say

Jul 2026

Summary

Asana OOD round, got asked to design the 2048 game. Not the hardest thing in the world but there's more to it than you'd think when you're on the spot.

Questions Asked (1)

Design the 2048 game using object-oriented principles.

System DesignTechnical Trade-offs

Author's notes

I started with the board and tile classes which felt right, but then I kind of fumbled explaining how the merge logic should live.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying requirements (board size, win condition, input handling) and then model the core entities: Board, Tile, Game, and Move. Focus on clean separation of concerns, extensibility, and testability, while discussing trade-offs between different design choices.

Pro tip: Emphasize how your design supports adding features like undo or different board sizes without major refactoring, showing foresight and alignment with Asana's focus on scalable, maintainable systems.

1. Clarify Requirements

Ask about board size, win/lose conditions, input methods, and any constraints (e.g., performance, extensibility). Confirm the scope to avoid over-engineering.

2. Identify Core Entities

Define classes like Tile, Board, Game, and Move. Consider responsibilities: Tile holds value, Board manages grid and merging, Game controls flow, Move encapsulates direction and logic.

3. Design Interactions and State

Describe how entities interact: Game receives input, creates Move, updates Board, checks win/lose. Discuss state management and how to handle tile spawning and merging.

4. Discuss Extensibility and Trade-offs

Explain how design supports variations (e.g., different board sizes, undo, AI). Compare alternatives (e.g., 2D array vs. sparse representation) and justify choices.

5. Consider Testing and Edge Cases

Mention unit testing for move logic, board state, and win conditions. Highlight edge cases like no moves possible, multiple merges, and input validation.

Key Points to Mention

Single Responsibility Principle: each class has a clear, focused role.
Encapsulation: Board hides internal grid representation; Game exposes only necessary methods.
Strategy pattern for move logic to allow different directions and easy extension.
Observer pattern for UI updates when board state changes.
Trade-off between performance (e.g., in-place updates) and simplicity (e.g., immutable board).
Testability: dependency injection for random tile generation to make tests deterministic.

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