[bmitc]

I think the better format is to have the interviewee talk through a complex problem that they have already solved, whether it's a side project, a work project they can talk about, or whatever. It balances out the power imbalance, and it showcases how well the interviewee can explain and talk through problems, design decisions, what they learned, what worked, what didn't, etc. through a problem they are already familiar with.

These whiteboarding interviews where the interviewers pose some random question does nothing for either party.

[planet-and-halo]

I really like that approach. The tradeoff is that you're asking someone to spend a non-trivial amount of personal time prepping and it opens the door a bit more to BS'ing and just memorizing Stackoverflow or whatever. But presumably your interviewers are skilled enough to sniff that out. I personally feel that would be a better way to showcase my abilities.