Right, so the first step in this process is to think through the problem until you have a path to a solution in your mind, before you start coding and explainin

Right, so the first step in this process is to think through the problem until you have a path to a solution in your mind, before you start coding and explaining. But the job interview process we're talking about explicitly asks you to start talking aloud about your thought process (and be judged on it!) with essentially zero time to think it through first. I code as part of the process of thinking things through. Seeing how bits will fit together. It's like how an author writes to organize their thoughts, instead of the other way around. How ridiculous would it be to interview an author based on their ability to write a short article on a whiteboard in real-time, while talking through their writing process!