A quick sample system design scenario

🏗️ System Design Scenario: Design a Community Engagement Tracking Platform

🎯 Goal:

Build a web-based internal tool to help Microsoft Product Managers and Community Leads track, manage, and analyze their community engagements at scale.

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🧩 Key Requirements:

• User Authentication (internal PMs, moderators)

• Ability to create/edit engagements (e.g., events, surveys, discussions)

• Store feedback from community members

• View analytics dashboards: number of engagements, satisfaction scores, trending topics

• Role-based access: only PMs can edit, moderators can view/manage

• Search & filter engagements

• Export reports (CSV/Excel)

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🔧 Design Outline

1. Frontend

• Built using React (or Power Pages, depending on how low-code you want to go)

• Pages:

  • Engagement List + Filters

  • Engagement Detail View

  • Feedback Submission Form

  • Analytics Dashboard

2. Backend

• Use Azure Functions / App Services for REST APIs

• Handle:

  • CRUD for engagements

  • Form submissions

  • User management

• Use Power Automate to trigger:

  • Email alerts

  • Auto-reminders for unreviewed feedback

3. Database

• Dataverse (as a default backend for Power Pages)

  • Tables:

    • Engagement

    • Feedback

    • User

  • Or use Azure SQL Database if going full custom backend

4. Authentication

• Azure Active Directory (AAD)

• Role-based access control through Dataverse or custom logic

5. Analytics

• Use Kusto/Azure Data Explorer or Power BI Embedded

• Track metrics:

  • Engagement volume by region/product

  • Feedback sentiment trends

  • Engagements with high participation

6. Security & Compliance

• Data encryption at rest and in transit

• Audit logs for changes (especially feedback edits/deletions)

• Permission granularity via web roles

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🔁 Bonus Extensions

• Add tagging and sentiment analysis to feedback using Azure Cognitive Services

• Create a mobile-friendly view or Power App companion

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🧠 In the Interview: Talk About

• Trade-offs: Power Pages for speed vs. custom React for flexibility

• How you'd ensure scalability if community engagements grow massively

• Handling access control, performance optimization, and data integrity

• Your approach to gathering requirements and iterating based on feedback