How do you explain a topic such as functional programming to a person who doesn't have a technology background?
This is a general question that the interviewer will use to start a conversation, better understand your background, and collect some information they can use throughout the interview. This type of question provides you the opportunity to point the interview in a direction that you are competent in and most comfortable with. Your answer may prompt the interviewer to ask questions that you can easily answer, demonstrating your qualifications for the position.
"The best way to communicate with other people throughout the organization, regardless of their background, is using clear and easy-to-understand language. When explaining technical ideas to somebody without a technology background, I go out of my way to break the topic down into easily understandable concepts and avoid using acronyms or technology-specific terms. I would explain functional programming as a technique that saves time and simplifies programming by focusing on the application's functions and desired outcomes. This differs from object-oriented programming, which uses code libraries developed for other applications to execute specific commands and portions of the application."
