40+ Senior Architect Interview Questions and Answers

Cladding materials are used to cover the exterior of a building. Common types include metal, wood, stone, and brick.

• Metal cladding is durable and low maintenance, often used in modern buildings

• Wood cladding provides a natural look and is often used in residential buildings

• Stone cladding is heavy and expensive, but provides a high-end look and is often used in commercial buildings

• Brick cladding is versatile and can be used in a variety of building types

• The choice of cladding m...read more

To increase server performance for a million connections per sec, we can optimize hardware, use load balancing, and implement caching.

• Optimize hardware by upgrading RAM, CPU, and network interface cards

• Use load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers

• Implement caching to reduce server load and improve response time

• Use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve static content

• Use compression to reduce the size of data transmitted over the network

The technical method to budget manhours for a project work involves breaking down the project into tasks and estimating the time required for each task.

• Break down the project into smaller tasks

• Estimate the time required for each task

• Consider the complexity of each task

• Factor in any dependencies between tasks

• Allocate resources based on the estimated time for each task

• Track actual time spent on each task and adjust the budget as necessary

Hands-on experience refers to practical experience gained by actively working on projects or tasks related to a specific field or technology.

• Hands-on experience in microservice design pattern involves actually implementing and deploying microservices in a real-world project.

• Hands-on experience in security includes actively working on implementing security measures such as encryption, authentication, and authorization in applications.

• AWS services commonly used in microservices...read more

Communicate proactively, assess the situation, and propose solutions to manage expectations and ensure project success.

• Assess the reasons for the delay: Identify if it's due to resource constraints, technical challenges, or scope changes.

• Communicate early: Inform stakeholders as soon as it's clear the deadline won't be met, providing context and potential impacts.

• Propose alternatives: Suggest revised timelines or phased deliverables to keep the project moving forward.

• Collabor...read more

Design a lift system for an office building with multiple lifts and floors.

• Determine the number of lifts required based on the building size and occupancy.

• Consider the traffic flow and peak hours to determine the lift capacity.

• Install a control system to manage the lift operation and reduce waiting time.

• Ensure safety features such as emergency brakes, backup power supply, and fire alarms.

• Provide clear signage and instructions for users to navigate the lift system.

• Regular main...read more

I have extensive experience in building scalable applications using microservices architecture and cloud technologies.

• Proficient in designing and implementing microservices architecture

• Expertise in using cloud technologies like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform

• Experience in using containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes

• Skilled in using load balancing and auto-scaling techniques to handle high traffic

• Implemented caching mechanisms to improve application per...read more

Designing a ceiling involves aesthetics, acoustics, materials, and functionality to enhance space and user experience.

• Aesthetics: Choose colors and textures that complement the overall design theme, e.g., coffered ceilings for elegance.

• Acoustics: Consider sound absorption materials to reduce noise, such as acoustic tiles in concert halls.

• Materials: Select durable and appropriate materials, like gypsum board for residential spaces or metal for industrial settings.

• Height: Ensur...read more

MVVM is an architectural pattern that separates UI logic from business logic in Kotlin applications, enhancing testability and maintainability.

• MVVM consists of three components: Model, View, and ViewModel.

• The Model represents the data and business logic of the application.

• The View is responsible for displaying the UI and capturing user interactions.

• The ViewModel acts as a bridge between the Model and the View, exposing data and commands to the View.

• Data binding can be used to...read more

The size of routing table is determined by the number of network prefixes and the number of routes.

• The size of routing table is directly proportional to the number of network prefixes and the number of routes.

• The size of routing table can be estimated by analyzing the number of unique IP addresses and the number of routing protocols used.

• The size of routing table can be reduced by summarizing routes and using route aggregation.

• The size of routing table can also be affected by...read more

Total built up area can be calculated by summing the area of all floors in a building. Minimum setback for a high rise building project varies based on local regulations and building codes.

• Total built up area is calculated by summing the area of all floors in a building, including common areas like lobbies and corridors.

• Minimum setback for a high rise building project is determined by local regulations and building codes to ensure safety, aesthetics, and functionality.

• For exa...read more

Parameters considered while designing a system

• Functional requirements

• Performance requirements

• Scalability

• Security

• Maintainability

• Cost

• User experience

• Integration with existing systems

I have expertise in various architectural design software such as AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp.

• Proficient in AutoCAD for creating detailed architectural drawings

• Skilled in using Revit for building information modeling

• Experienced in SketchUp for 3D modeling and visualization

I approach data strategy by understanding business goals, identifying data sources, and creating a plan for data collection, storage, and analysis.

• Understand business goals and objectives

• Identify relevant data sources

• Create a plan for data collection, storage, and analysis

• Ensure data quality and security

• Leverage technology and tools to support data strategy

• Continuously monitor and evaluate data strategy for effectiveness

A data platform is designed by identifying business requirements, selecting appropriate technologies, and creating a scalable architecture.

• Identify business requirements and data sources

• Select appropriate technologies for storage, processing, and analysis

• Create a scalable architecture that can handle current and future needs

• Ensure data security and privacy

• Implement data governance and management policies

• Test and validate the platform before deployment

Distributed transactions are handled using two-phase commit protocol and distributed locking mechanisms.

• Use two-phase commit protocol to ensure atomicity across multiple databases.

• Implement distributed locking mechanisms to maintain consistency.

• Consider using compensating transactions to handle failures and rollbacks.

• Use messaging queues for communication between distributed components.

Scaling an e-commerce application involves optimizing performance, increasing capacity, and ensuring reliability.

• Utilize cloud services for scalability and flexibility

• Implement caching mechanisms to reduce load on servers

• Use load balancing to distribute traffic evenly across servers

• Optimize database queries and indexes for faster retrieval

• Monitor performance metrics and adjust resources accordingly

Enhancing system performance involves optimizing architecture, code, and infrastructure for efficiency and speed.

• Optimize database queries: Use indexing and avoid N+1 query problems. For example, use JOINs instead of multiple SELECT statements.

• Implement caching strategies: Use in-memory caches like Redis or Memcached to reduce database load and speed up data retrieval.

• Load balancing: Distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers to prevent any single server from becomin...read more

The best blockwork for wet areas is typically concrete blocks or autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks.

• Concrete blocks are durable and water-resistant, making them ideal for wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens.

• Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks are lightweight and have good thermal insulation properties, making them suitable for wet areas.

• Both types of blockwork can be easily cut and shaped to fit specific design requirements in wet areas.

I will design the data models by analyzing the requirements, identifying entities and relationships, creating entity-relationship diagrams, and normalizing the data.

• Analyze the requirements to understand the data needs

• Identify entities and their relationships

• Create entity-relationship diagrams to visualize the structure

• Normalize the data to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency

I am expecting the designation of Senior Architect.

• I have extensive experience in architectural design and project management.

• I have successfully led multiple architectural projects from concept to completion.

• I possess strong technical skills in AutoCAD, Revit, and other architectural software.

• I am confident in my ability to mentor and guide junior architects in the team.

OAuth and Open ID Connect are protocols used for authentication and authorization in web applications.

• OAuth is used for authorization, allowing a user to grant access to their resources without sharing their credentials.

• Open ID Connect is an authentication layer on top of OAuth, providing user authentication and information about the user.

• OAuth 2.0 is commonly used for API authorization, while Open ID Connect is used for user authentication in single sign-on scenarios.

Member Admin in AWS Organizations allows centralized management of accounts and permissions within an organization.

• Member Admins can manage member accounts, including creating and deleting accounts.

• They can apply Service Control Policies (SCPs) to manage permissions across accounts.

• Example: A Member Admin can restrict access to certain AWS services for all accounts under their organization.

• Member Admins can also manage billing and cost management for the organization.

• They can...read more

Multi-cloud strategy involves using multiple cloud services from different providers to optimize performance, cost, and reliability.

• Multi-cloud strategy involves using a combination of public, private, and hybrid clouds to meet specific business needs.

• It allows organizations to avoid vendor lock-in, improve redundancy, and enhance disaster recovery capabilities.

• Examples of multi-cloud solutions include using AWS for storage, Azure for computing, and Google Cloud for machine l...read more

I have extensive experience in designing and managing industrial architecture projects.

• Designed and managed construction of a 100,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility for XYZ Company

• Expertise in creating efficient layouts for production lines and optimizing workflow

• Experience in incorporating sustainable and energy-efficient design elements in industrial buildings

• Familiarity with building codes and regulations specific to industrial architecture

• Collaborated with engineers and c...read more

Securing a RESTful API involves authentication, authorization, encryption, and input validation to protect data and resources.

• Use HTTPS to encrypt data in transit, preventing eavesdropping.

• Implement OAuth 2.0 for secure token-based authentication.

• Validate and sanitize all inputs to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks.

• Use API keys to control access to the API endpoints.

• Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse and denial-of-service attacks.

• Log and monitor API usage for suspic...read more

Led diverse projects, including cloud migration, microservices architecture, and enterprise system integrations.

• Cloud Migration: Successfully migrated a legacy application to AWS, improving scalability and reducing costs by 30%.

• Microservices Architecture: Designed a microservices-based solution for an e-commerce platform, enhancing deployment speed and system resilience.

• Enterprise System Integration: Integrated multiple legacy systems for a healthcare provider, streamlining o...read more