Interview Questions/Behavioral & Leadership/Handling Unexpected Production Bugs
IntermediateBehavioral
5 min

Handling Unexpected Production Bugs

Problem SolvingRisk ManagementIncident Handling
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Interview Question

Tell me about a time you discovered a high-priority production bug just before a release. How did you handle it?

Key Points to Cover
  • Quickly assesses severity and impact
  • Communicates risk clearly to stakeholders
  • Decides between rollback, hotfix, or delaying release
  • Implements preventive measures afterward
Evaluation Rubric
Explains assessment process30% weight
Communicates risk effectively30% weight
Chooses the right mitigation path20% weight
Prevents similar issues later20% weight
Hints
  • 💡Highlight decision-making speed and coordination.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
  • ⚠️Failing to quickly and accurately assess the severity and impact of the bug.
  • ⚠️Not communicating the issue and its implications to stakeholders in a timely and transparent manner.
  • ⚠️Making a rash decision without considering all viable options (rollback, hotfix, delay).
  • ⚠️Underestimating the time and effort required for a reliable hotfix, leading to a rushed and potentially unstable solution.
  • ⚠️Not implementing adequate post-resolution monitoring to prevent recurrence.
Potential Follow-up Questions
  • How did you avoid future surprises?
  • What checks did you add later?
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