ElevenLabs·Software Engineer·Onsite - System Design / Architecture·Senior

Senior

Jun 2026

Summary

ElevenLabs SWE interview with a system design problem centered on replacing a spreadsheet-based dubbing workflow. Pretty open-ended, which I wasn't fully ready for.

Questions Asked (1)

Design and implement a system to manage a voice-dubbing workflow that replaces an existing Excel-based process. Your design should correctly handle status transitions for voice lines, re-review cycles, and collaboration between editors, reviewers, and approvers.

System DesignData ModelingTechnical Trade-offs

Author's notes

The Excel angle threw me a bit because I spent too long thinking about import/export compatibility instead of the actual state machine underneath.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying requirements and scale, then model the core entities (voice lines, users, roles) and define a state machine for status transitions that supports re-review cycles. Design the system architecture with a database schema, API endpoints, and workflow engine, and discuss trade-offs like consistency vs. availability and build vs. buy.

Pro tip: Emphasize idempotency and auditability: every status change should be recorded with who, when, and why, and transitions should be idempotent to handle retries. This shows you understand real-world workflow systems and data integrity.

1. Clarify Requirements and Scope

Ask questions to understand the number of users, voice lines, expected concurrency, and specific workflow rules (e.g., who can transition what). Identify non-functional requirements like auditability, latency, and integration with existing tools.

2. Model Core Entities and State Machine

Define entities: VoiceLine, User, Role, Assignment, Comment, and AuditLog. Design a state machine for VoiceLine statuses (e.g., Draft, InReview, ChangesRequested, Approved, Published) with allowed transitions and role permissions.

3. Design System Architecture and Data Storage

Choose a database (SQL for strong consistency and complex queries). Sketch API endpoints for CRUD and transitions. Consider using a workflow engine or implementing a lightweight state machine in code. Discuss how to handle concurrency (optimistic locking).

4. Address Collaboration and Re-review Cycles

Design how editors, reviewers, and approvers interact: notifications, comments, versioning. Ensure re-review cycles are supported by allowing transitions back to previous states and tracking history.

5. Discuss Trade-offs and Scalability

Talk about trade-offs: SQL vs NoSQL, monolithic vs microservices, build vs buy (e.g., using Temporal for workflows). Explain how the design scales with more users and lines, and how to ensure performance and reliability.

Key Points to Mention

State machine design with explicit transitions and role-based permissions to prevent invalid state changes.
Audit logging and versioning for every status change to ensure traceability and support re-review cycles.
Concurrency control (e.g., optimistic locking) to handle simultaneous edits and transitions.
Database schema design with normalized tables for users, roles, voice lines, and transitions.
API design for workflow actions (e.g., submit, request changes, approve) with idempotency.
Trade-offs between consistency and availability, and between custom implementation and using a workflow engine.

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