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I've never felt comfortable answering questions like those, because the designs are owned by the business. Even if I made it, I don't feel like I have the right to hand a design for my current employer to my next employer.

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I don't think drawing just a block diagram of system means giving away the trade secrets of your product. I didn't ask him to draw flow charts of algorithms and business logic. And I don't even do that. I have seen many interviews purposefully conducted by rival companies where interviewers are specifically asked by company's marketing team to drill down interviewee on particular functionality and get details of business algorithms, system performance etc. Offcourse this happens when there is cut-throat competition and few players.

Ideas (and the ability to convey them) aren't owned by a business.

shakes head

Our society is waaaay to litigious if an interview is going to be overshadowed by the legal team like this.

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