Google·Product Manager·Onsite - System Design / Architecture·Senior

SeniorPrefer not to say

Apr 2026

Summary

Got a system design question at Google for what seemed like a senior product or engineering role. One question, broad scope, and I left feeling like I either nailed it or completely missed what they were looking for.

Questions Asked (1)

Design the architecture for a self-serve insurance product.

System DesignProduct Sense & IdeationAPI & Integrations

Author's notes

I started with the user journey because I had no idea where else to begin.

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AI HintsAI Generated

Suggested Approach

Start by clarifying the product scope and target users, then outline the end-to-end user journey and the key components of the system architecture. Focus on how the architecture enables a seamless self-serve experience, including modular services, integrations, and data flows, while addressing scalability, security, and compliance.

Pro tip: Emphasize how the architecture supports rapid iteration and experimentation, which is crucial for a self-serve product where user feedback and A/B testing drive improvements. Also, highlight the importance of designing for trust and transparency, as insurance involves sensitive data and regulatory requirements.

1. Clarify Requirements and Scope

Ask clarifying questions to understand the product: target users (individuals or businesses), insurance types (auto, home, life), geographic coverage, and key business goals. Define the core user journey from quote to claim.

2. Outline High-Level Architecture

Sketch the main components: frontend (web/mobile), backend services (user management, quoting, policy issuance, payments, claims), data stores, and external integrations (payment gateways, identity verification, underwriting engines, regulatory APIs).

3. Detail Key Components and Flows

Explain how each component works and interacts. For example, the quoting engine uses user data and underwriting rules to generate a price; the policy service issues and stores policies; the claims service handles FNOL and processing. Describe data flow for a typical user session.

4. Address Non-Functional Requirements

Discuss scalability (handling peak loads), security (encryption, PII protection), compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, insurance regulations), reliability (uptime, disaster recovery), and performance (low latency). Explain how the architecture meets these.

5. Discuss Trade-offs and Future Extensibility

Talk about build vs. buy decisions, monolithic vs. microservices, and how the architecture can evolve to support new products, markets, or channels. Mention monitoring, logging, and analytics for continuous improvement.

Key Points to Mention

Modular microservices architecture for flexibility and independent scaling
API-first design to enable integrations with partners and third-party services
Event-driven architecture for real-time processing (e.g., quotes, claims)
Data security and compliance (encryption, access controls, audit logs)
User authentication and identity verification (OAuth, KYC)
Analytics and feedback loops for product iteration and personalization

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