A challenge I'd love the community's input on. Coming from a background of successfully delivering web applications over the last 15 years (mostly small to medium scale), I'm now preparing for interviews where system design plays a crucial role.<p>While I've mastered building efficient small to medium-scale systems, I find myself in uncharted territory when discussing highly distributed architectures.<p>I've been studying comprehensive resources (Alex Xu's books, DDIA), but there's still a gap between theory and interview performance.<p>My main hurdles:<p>- Converting theoretical knowledge into practical system design proposals<p>- Steering technical discussions effectively<p>- Making and defending architectural decisions with solid reasoning<p>For those who've made this transition:<p>- What techniques helped you apply book knowledge in interview scenarios?<p>- How did you develop practical system design skills?<p>- What helped you discuss large-scale systems convincingly despite limited hands-on experience?<p>Particularly interested in concrete methods and resources that led to interview success.<p>Anyone who's crossed this bridge, I'd value your insights!"