Hiring guide for DRAKON-Scratch Engineers

DRAKON-Scratch Developer Hiring Guide

DRAKON-Scratch is a programming language that combines the visual programming approach of Scratch with the flowchart-based logic of DRAKON. It's designed to simplify coding for beginners, especially children and young adults, by allowing them to create programs using blocks that represent different functions or commands. The DRAKON aspect provides a clear structure and logical flow to the program, making it easier for users to understand how their code works. This combination makes DRAKON-Scratch an accessible and educational tool for learning basic programming concepts.

Ask the right questions secure the right DRAKON-Scratch talent among an increasingly shrinking pool of talent.

First 20 minutes

General DRAKON-Scratch app knowledge and experience

The first 20 minutes of the interview should seek to understand the candidate's general background in DRAKON-Scratch application development, including their experience with various programming languages, databases, and their approach to designing scalable and maintainable systems.

What are the basic elements of DRAKON-Scratch?
The basic elements of DRAKON-Scratch include sprites, scripts, costumes, sounds, and backdrops. These elements are used to create interactive stories, games, and animations.
How would you explain the use of costumes in DRAKON-Scratch?
Costumes in DRAKON-Scratch are different appearances or states of a sprite. They can be used to create animations by quickly switching between different costumes.
What is the role of sprites in DRAKON-Scratch?
Sprites in DRAKON-Scratch are the characters or objects that perform actions. They can be moved around, interact with each other, and respond to events.
How would you use the 'broadcast' and 'receive' blocks in DRAKON-Scratch?
The 'broadcast' and 'receive' blocks in DRAKON-Scratch are used for communication between sprites. A sprite can broadcast a message, and other sprites can receive this message and perform actions in response.
Describe the difference between 'forever' and 'repeat' loops in DRAKON-Scratch.
The 'forever' loop in DRAKON-Scratch repeats a block of code indefinitely, while the 'repeat' loop repeats a block of code a specified number of times.
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What you’re looking for early on

Does the candidate have a strong understanding of DRAKON-Scratch?
Has the candidate demonstrated problem-solving skills?
Is the candidate able to communicate effectively?
Does the candidate have experience with other programming languages?

Next 20 minutes

Specific DRAKON-Scratch development questions

The next 20 minutes of the interview should focus on the candidate's expertise with specific backend frameworks, their understanding of RESTful APIs, and their experience in handling data storage and retrieval efficiently.

What are the different types of variables in DRAKON-Scratch?
There are two types of variables in DRAKON-Scratch: global variables and local variables. Global variables can be accessed from any sprite, while local variables can only be accessed from the sprite in which they were created.
How would you create a custom block in DRAKON-Scratch?
To create a custom block in DRAKON-Scratch, you can use the 'Make a Block' option in the 'More Blocks' category. You can then define the behavior of the block using other blocks.
What is the purpose of the 'pen' category in DRAKON-Scratch?
The 'pen' category in DRAKON-Scratch is used for drawing on the stage. It includes blocks for moving the pen, changing the pen color, and changing the pen size.
Describe the difference between the 'green flag' and 'red stop sign' in DRAKON-Scratch.
The 'green flag' in DRAKON-Scratch is used to start a script, while the 'red stop sign' is used to stop all scripts.
How would you use the 'if' and 'if else' blocks in DRAKON-Scratch?
The 'if' block in DRAKON-Scratch is used to perform an action if a certain condition is true. The 'if else' block is used to perform one action if a condition is true, and another action if the condition is false.
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The ideal back-end app developer

What you’re looking to see on the DRAKON-Scratch engineer at this point.

At this point, a skilled DRAKON-Scratch engineer should demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, proficiency in DRAKON-Scratch programming language, and knowledge of software development methodologies. Red flags include lack of hands-on experience, inability to articulate complex concepts, or unfamiliarity with standard coding practices.

Digging deeper

Code questions

These will help you see the candidate's real-world development capabilities with DRAKON-Scratch.

What does this simple DRAKON code do?
Action: Start
Action: Print 'Hello, World!'
End
This code prints 'Hello, World!' to the standard output.
What is the output of this DRAKON code?
Action: Start
Var: a = 5
Var: b = 10
Action: Print a + b
End
This code prints the sum of a and b, which is 15.
What does this DRAKON code do?
Action: Start
Var: arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
For each item in arr
Action: Print item
End
This code iterates over the array 'arr' and prints each element to the standard output.
What does this DRAKON code do?
Action: Start
Var: count = 0
While count < 5
Action: Print count
Var: count = count + 1
End
This code prints the numbers from 0 to 4. It uses a while loop that runs as long as the 'count' variable is less than 5.

Wrap-up questions

Final candidate for DRAKON-Scratch Developer role questions

The final few questions should evaluate the candidate's teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Additionally, assess their knowledge of microservices architecture, serverless computing, and how they handle DRAKON-Scratch application deployments. Inquire about their experience in handling system failures and their approach to debugging and troubleshooting.

What are the different types of sensing blocks in DRAKON-Scratch?
Sensing blocks in DRAKON-Scratch include blocks for detecting user input, sprite properties, stage properties, and other conditions. They can be used to make sprites respond to the environment.
How would you create a clone of a sprite in DRAKON-Scratch?
To create a clone of a sprite in DRAKON-Scratch, you can use the 'create clone of' block. The clone will have the same properties and scripts as the original sprite.
Describe the difference between 'touching' and 'distance to' blocks in DRAKON-Scratch.
The 'touching' block in DRAKON-Scratch is used to detect if a sprite is touching another sprite or a color. The 'distance to' block is used to calculate the distance between a sprite and another sprite or the mouse pointer.

DRAKON-Scratch application related

Product Perfect's DRAKON-Scratch development capabilities

Beyond hiring for your DRAKON-Scratch engineering team, you may be in the market for additional help. Product Perfect provides seasoned expertise in DRAKON-Scratch projects, and can engage in multiple capacities.

DRAKON-Scratch Consultive assessments

Custom DRAKON-Scratch development projects

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