Event Storming

Questions

1. Tell me about a real Event Storming session you facilitated or participated in. What was the goal?

Why? People who have actually done Event Storming will talk about real challenges, not just recite definitions.
Red Flag: Vague or generic answers like “We mapped business processes” without details.

2. How did you handle disagreements during the session?

Why? Event Storming often brings conflicting perspectives. An experienced person will mention specific techniques (e.g., timeboxing debates, focusing on domain events, or deferring decisions).
Red Flag: No mention of conflict resolution or an unrealistic claim that “there were no disagreements.”

3. What unexpected insights did you gain from your last Event Storming session?

Why? Real sessions reveal unknown unknowns, like misaligned mental models or hidden bottlenecks.
Red Flag: If the candidate can’t recall any significant discovery, they likely haven’t done it.

4. Walk me through how you structure a Big Picture Event Storming session.

Why? A practiced facilitator will mention key steps: inviting the right people, timeline placement, domain events first, refining aggregates, and structuring discussions.
Red Flag: Listing theory without understanding sequencing or missing key steps.

5. How do you ensure engagement from all participants?

Why? A strong facilitator will mention techniques like silent brainstorming, inviting domain experts, or prompting discussion when engagement drops.
Red Flag: No mention of facilitation techniques, which suggests lack of hands-on experience.

6. How do you decide when to stop an Event Storming session?

Why? Sessions can go on forever without clear stopping criteria. Experienced facilitators will mention factors like diminishing returns, reaching the desired level of detail, or achieving key insights.
Red Flag: No clear stopping criteria or unrealistic answers like “we finished when everything was mapped.”

7. What do you do with the results after an Event Storming session?

Why? A real Event Storming session should lead to concrete outcomes - refined models, action items, architecture decisions, or user stories.
Red Flag: No mention of outcomes beyond “we documented the results.”

8. Tell me about a time when an Event Storming session didn’t go as planned. What did you do?

Why? No session runs perfectly. Real experience means handling misaligned expectations, dominating participants, or an unclear scope.
Red Flag: Claims that every session went perfectly.

9. If we were to run an Event Storming session for our company tomorrow, what would be the first thing you’d do?

Why? An experienced person will immediately ask, “What problem are we trying to solve?” before jumping into logistics.
Red Flag: If they start talking about sticky notes and colors before defining the goal.

Answers

Tell me about a real Event Storming session you facilitated or participated in. What was the goal?
- Answer:
  I facilitated a session for a logistics company looking to streamline their order processing. The goal was to identify
  inefficiencies and create a shared understanding of the order flow. We focused on key business events like ‘Order Placed,'
  'Payment Processed,’ and ‘Shipment Shipped.’
- Explanation: An experienced candidate will talk about a real scenario where Event Storming had a clear business goal, e.g., improving processes, aligning teams, or building shared domain models.
How did you handle disagreements during the session?
- Answer:
  “We had a few disagreements, especially around identifying certain domain events. I used timeboxing to keep the discussion focused
  and encouraged participants to defer some decisions until we had more clarity. I also ensured that every voice was heard.”
- Explanation: Conflict is common in Event Storming, and experienced facilitators will use techniques like timeboxing or deferring decisions to handle disagreements while maintaining focus.
What unexpected insights did you gain from your last Event Storming session?
- Answer:
  “One insight was that a step in the payment process was being delayed due to an overlooked manual task. It wasn’t visible in the
  existing documentation, but it became clear during the session. This led to a change in the workflow that saved significant time.”
- Explanation: Real sessions uncover hidden bottlenecks or processes that were previously unknown. An experienced facilitator will mention discovering something that wasn’t apparent beforehand.
Walk me through how you structure a Big Picture Event Storming session.
- Answer:
  “We start by defining the scope - understanding the problem we’re solving. Then, we begin with identifying the key domain events
  and sequence them chronologically. I use different colored sticky notes to differentiate between types of events, aggregates, and
  commands. I encourage participants to add their thoughts as we go, and I facilitate discussion to refine the model.”
- Explanation: A structured approach is key. Experienced facilitators will mention defining scope, sequencing domain events, and using tools (e.g., sticky notes, colors) to organize the model.
How do you ensure engagement from all participants?
- Answer:
  “I ensure engagement by using silent brainstorming at the start to gather initial thoughts without group bias. I also actively ask for input from domain experts in each area and rotate the discussion to ensure everyone contributes.”
- Explanation: Experienced facilitators use techniques like silent brainstorming to avoid dominant voices and engage everyone in the room, ensuring that all perspectives are heard.
How do you decide when to stop an Event Storming session?
- Answer:
  “I stop when we’ve achieved our main goals - typically when we’ve identified the key events and clarified the flow enough to move into
  deeper modeling. If we start to hit diminishing returns, I’ll propose a break and schedule follow-ups for deeper dives into specific areas.”
- Explanation: Experienced facilitators will know when to stop or pause a session, usually when the group has reached a consensus or insight that is actionable, or when further discussion would become unproductive.
What do you do with the results after an Event Storming session?
- Answer:
  “We document the final event storming map and identify action items based on insights. We then refine the model into user stories or
  technical tasks for development teams, and we revisit the model periodically during sprints to ensure alignment.”
- Explanation: After the session, results are turned into actionable outcomes like user stories, tasks, or architectural decisions. This ensures the session leads to tangible value, not just a theoretical model.
Tell me about a time when an Event Storming session didn’t go as planned. What did you do?
- Answer:
  “Once, we had too many people with conflicting viewpoints, which slowed the session down. I called for a quick break to reset
  and refocused the group on shared goals. I also worked with key stakeholders to narrow the scope of the session to avoid getting bogged down in debates.”
- Explanation: Real sessions often face challenges like misaligned expectations or dominating participants. An experienced facilitator can handle these by refocusing or adjusting the session’s scope.
If we were to run an Event Storming session for our company tomorrow, what would be the first thing you’d do?
- Answer:
  “I’d first ask, ‘What problem are we trying to solve?’ and then define the scope of the session. Once we know the problem, we’ll
  gather the right stakeholders - domain experts, tech leads, and anyone with critical knowledge of the process.”
- Explanation: An experienced facilitator will always begin by defining the problem to ensure the session has a clear goal. They’ll also emphasize the importance of having the right participants involved.