as with other things: it helps to understand the format and to know what to expect. also, when I am asking a system design question I am not looking for a perf

as with other things: it helps to understand the format and to know what to expect. also, when I am asking a system design question I am not looking for a perfect design or even a design in particular. at the end of the interview I ask myself the question: given enough time could this person evolve what they have into a design that would work in the wild?