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Rapid-prototyping interview: 50-minute build under time pressure

1Give yourself 5 minutes

2Answer out loud, not in your head

3Then compare with the answer below

Reference answer

Spend 5 minutes defining the simplest possible success criteria (one input → one output → one demo path). Build the happy path first (aim for a running prototype at minute 25). Spend the next 20 minutes improving the parts of the demo most likely to break (edge cases on input validation, error paths). Reserve the last 5 minutes for one polish that pays off visually (a clean UI or a thoughtful test).

Then expect these follow-ups

"What would you build next given 3 more hours?

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