Tell me about a time you worked closely with a backend or design teammate to solve a problem neither of you could fix alone.

What the interviewer is looking for

• This question tests teamwork. Works closely with backend, design and quality colleagues, shares context openly and solves problems jointly.
• What to bring out: Open communication, understanding the other person's constraints, a joint solution and shared credit.
• Expect a follow-up like: What did you learn about working with that discipline?

Another way it may be asked: Maybe an API that didn't suit the app or a design that didn't fit the platform. How did you work it out together?

A structure to follow: STAR, with the weight on Action and Result

1. Step 1

   Situation

   One or two sentences: where, when and what was at stake. Pick a real example you were close to.

2. Step 2

   Task

   What you personally were responsible for. Say "I", not only "we", so the teamwork you showed is visible.

3. Step 3

   Action

   The two or three things you did and why you chose them over the alternatives. This should be about half your answer.

4. Step 4

   Result

   What changed, in your own measure of it, and what you would do differently. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

This is guidance on shape, not a script. Use your own real experience and facts; never invent details to fill a gap. See the STAR guide and answer frameworks.

Common slips

• Describing what the team did without saying what you did.
• Choosing an example with no clear outcome, or one you cannot answer detailed questions about.
• Ending on the action and skipping the result and what you learned.

How to practise it

Write two bullet points for each STAR letter, then say the answer aloud in about two minutes.

Related questions

• Can you explain the lifecycle of a screen in an iOS or Android app, and why it matters when you load data?
• How do you make sure your app's screens adapt to different screen sizes, dark mode and larger text settings?
• Imagine a user opens your app on a subway with no signal. What should the app do, and how would you build that?
• How would you build a scrolling list of thousands of items so it stays smooth on an older phone?
• What architecture pattern do you use to structure your app's screens and logic, and why that one?

Browse all questions