Clarify ambiguous requirements under pressure

Tell me about an occasion when you initially misread a stakeholder's request and began working on the wrong problem. What made you realize there was a mismatch, how did you get back on track, and what steps did you take to avoid negative consequences? Next, act out a role-play: I speak with a strong accent and say, "Find clients similar to Coca-Cola." Pose the five clarifying questions you would ask to establish the objective, scope, constraints, and success measures before suggesting an approach. Finally, describe your preferred methods—such as reflective listening, assumption lists, or written confirmation—for preventing miscommunications like this when under time pressure.

Overview: This question assesses a data scientist's ability to understand problems and clarify stakeholder needs, including active listening, managing assumptions, gathering requirements, and communicating across functions, within the Behavioral & Leadership category.