Quantifying the Unquantifiable: Estimating Brain Data Storage

Estimating the Brain’s Storage: A Framework for Product Management Interviews

Landing a product manager role at a FAANG company requires navigating a series of challenging interview questions. One such brain teaser is: “Estimate the amount of storage needed to store a day’s worth of information from your brain.” This question assesses your ability to tackle complex, abstract problems using structured frameworks. Let’s explore how to approach this challenge.

Applying the Estimation Framework

To systematically approach this question, we’ll leverage the Estimation Framework, a popular tool in product interviews. This framework allows you to break down a large problem into smaller, more manageable components and estimate each part to arrive at an overall answer.

  1. Understanding the Question: Clarify what types of information the brain processes (sensory input, thoughts, emotions, memories) and identify which can be realistically quantified.
  2. Defining Parameters: Set parameters such as the encoding bit rate for different types of neural information, drawing analogies to digital data systems where feasible.
  3. Gathering Data Points: Use known data points, such as the bit rate for high-quality video as a proxy for visual information processing, to form a baseline.
    • For example, a single hour of 1080p video may require about 1.5GB. If we assume the waking visual experiences to be equivalent to video capture, we can estimate the storage needed for visual input.
  4. Performing Calculations: Consider the brain’s storage in multi-sensory input and compressions that the brain might use.
    • Not all information is stored long-term; hence, differentiate between short-term and long-term memory storage requirements.
  5. Assumptions: You may need to make several assumptions, explain them clearly and justify your reasoning.

Example Calculation: If we take 16 hours of visual information at a 1080p equivalent, we get 24GB for visuals. Adding auditory and other sensory data might double this, so let’s round up to 50GB per day. Next, factor in a high compression ratio due to the brain’s efficient processing, reducing our estimate to perhaps 5-10GB per day for long-term storage.

Effective Communication Tips

During the interview, it’s important that you:

  • Communicate your thought process clearly and logically.
  • Justify your assumptions with practical analogies or scientific reasoning.
  • Admit the limitations of your analysis and show openness to refinement.
  • Engage with the interviewer, using visual aids like drawing a diagram, if possible.

Conclusion

Estimating the brain’s storage requirements is a challenging question that prompts candidates to think critically and showcase their analytical capabilities. By applying a structured Estimation Framework and clearly justifying your thought process, you demonstrate a key skill desirable to FAANG companies: tackling complex, ambiguous problems with a structured approach. Remember to practice this framework on various estimation questions to sharpen your estimation skills and prepare for your product management interviews.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top