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Google·Software Engineer·Onsite - Product Sense / Strategy·Intermediate

IntermediatePrefer not to say
Apr 2026

Summary

Went through what seemed like a quick estimation question at Google, the kind that sounds straightforward but makes you second-guess your assumptions the whole way through.

Questions Asked (1)

Q1

How many scooters would a company with 2000 employees spread across 4 floors need, given 500 employees per floor?

Product Analytics & MetricsAdaptability & Ambiguity
Author's notes

My first instinct was to just divide and move on, but then I started second-guessing everything.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Clarify the purpose of the scooters (e.g., for intra-floor or inter-floor travel) and any assumptions about usage patterns. Then, estimate demand by considering factors like peak concurrent usage, trip duration, and availability, and validate with a simple calculation. Finally, discuss how you would refine the estimate with data or pilot testing.

Pro tip: Acknowledge that the exact number is less important than your structured thinking and ability to justify assumptions. Show that you can iterate and adapt as new information emerges.

1. Clarify the Goal and Constraints

Ask questions to understand why scooters are needed, where they will be used, and any constraints (e.g., budget, safety, charging). This ensures you solve the right problem.

2. Identify Key Variables

Determine factors that influence scooter demand: employee usage rate, average trip duration, peak times, and desired availability. Consider both intra-floor and inter-floor travel.

3. Make Reasonable Assumptions

State assumptions clearly, such as 10% of employees use scooters daily, average trip takes 5 minutes, and peak usage is 20% of daily users. Justify with logic or industry benchmarks.

4. Calculate and Sanity-Check

Compute the number of scooters needed based on assumptions (e.g., using Little's Law or peak concurrent demand). Check if the result seems reasonable and adjust if necessary.

5. Discuss Validation and Iteration

Propose how to validate the estimate (e.g., pilot program, usage data) and how to scale or adjust over time. Show willingness to iterate based on feedback.

Key Points to Mention

  • Clarify the purpose: are scooters for inter-floor travel, intra-floor, or both?
  • Consider peak usage times and concurrent demand rather than total employees.
  • Use a structured estimation technique like Little's Law or Fermi estimation.
  • State assumptions explicitly and justify them with logic or data.
  • Acknowledge that the exact number is less important than the approach.
  • Suggest a pilot or data-driven validation to refine the estimate.

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