I think this is a bogus question. In fact, any of these expected questions can be well prepared for. If someone asked me this in an interview which I wanted to 'game' for some reason, I would spin a yarn about how I failed, learnt from my mistakes and am now a well-rounded, stronger human being.
But in the real world, failure doesn't work like that. You fail at times for no obvious reason. You fail sometimes and you have no idea what lessons you are supposed to learn. You fail at times and you know you can't fix that part of your personality.
The only interesting variant on this question I can think of (that I have used is) - disaster stories in technology. Everyone has one (if they don't, you should be suspicious) and you can find out a lot by the way they describe it.
The things people say indicate that they know what is expected of them.
"Do you think it's important to comment your code?" Someone who answers yes to that even when in practice they tend downgrade the value of it is involved in an important exchange. They are showing the interviewer that they respect their priorities. And if they are hired, they have set an expectation.
These discussions set an agenda. It's weaker that than the contracts you'll sign, but far stronger than nothing at all. And it is a useful filter for excluding people with a different worldview who are not going to work in the team.
I've disqualified myself in a couple of interview cycles for not playing the game on gang of four patterns. Yes, I could sit down and memorise them and pretend it was important, no I'm going to because that sets an agenda that is too far away from the way I work. Everyone has won through those hires not going ahead.
But in the real world, failure doesn't work like that. You fail at times for no obvious reason. You fail sometimes and you have no idea what lessons you are supposed to learn. You fail at times and you know you can't fix that part of your personality.
The only interesting variant on this question I can think of (that I have used is) - disaster stories in technology. Everyone has one (if they don't, you should be suspicious) and you can find out a lot by the way they describe it.