The Questions (and notes):
1. How do you define UX/design?
Focus on crafting a unique and specific definition that sheds light on who
you are as a designer. Use this also as an opportunity to tell a story that
provides context for your design perspective. However you define UX, make
this a chance to add something personal.
you are as a designer. Use this also as an opportunity to tell a story that
provides context for your design perspective. However you define UX, make
this a chance to add something personal.
I focused my definition around empathy and the importance of understanding
the people I’m designing for. It allowed me to touch on my background in
psychology, allude to past experiences I had doing anthropological research,
and brought to light the importance of designing human-centered experiences.
the people I’m designing for. It allowed me to touch on my background in
psychology, allude to past experiences I had doing anthropological research,
and brought to light the importance of designing human-centered experiences.
2. What is your design process?
Everyone has a different design process (and that’s okay). What will matter is
your ability to describe your process and explain the rationale behind your
approach. It’s a good idea to have a standard ‘go-to’ process in mind, yet
it’s important to acknowledge your design context. Different UX situations
inevitably call for different UX processes. It’s a strength to understand your
environment and determine a process that’s best fits for your situation.
your ability to describe your process and explain the rationale behind your
approach. It’s a good idea to have a standard ‘go-to’ process in mind, yet
it’s important to acknowledge your design context. Different UX situations
inevitably call for different UX processes. It’s a strength to understand your
environment and determine a process that’s best fits for your situation.
Ask your interviewer for specifics. Respond to a particular design problem
the company is facing or talk about a process you have used in a particular
situation.
the company is facing or talk about a process you have used in a particular
situation.
Through all my processes, my one constant is to ask the right questions before
designing. It frames the way I approach a problem and guides me toward
the appropriate UX strategy and tools going forward.
designing. It frames the way I approach a problem and guides me toward
the appropriate UX strategy and tools going forward.
3. What are some apps or websites that you love?
When thinking about this question, consider your audience and have a range of
apps/websites that can demonstrate a diversity of aspects you find important to
design. When I was interviewing, I chose SquareCash, Lyft, and
Meetup.com — all experiences I loved for different reasons.
design. When I was interviewing, I chose SquareCash, Lyft, and
Meetup.com — all experiences I loved for different reasons.
SquareCash represented simplicity in design. It made money transactions
painless and solved a problem I didn’t realize I had. Lyft represented a
peer-to-peer service that was trust-worthy and delightful and leveraged
local communities to foster sharing in my hometown (San Francisco) and beyond.
Meetup.com represented a platform for community at scale and had provided
a tribe for me no matter where I was in the world.While touching on UI elements, try
to paint a picture of your values as a designer. By choosing apps/websites that
highlight your interests and elegantly solve your pains, you’ll make a memorable
impression.
painless and solved a problem I didn’t realize I had. Lyft represented a
peer-to-peer service that was trust-worthy and delightful and leveraged
local communities to foster sharing in my hometown (San Francisco) and beyond.
Meetup.com represented a platform for community at scale and had provided
a tribe for me no matter where I was in the world.While touching on UI elements, try
to paint a picture of your values as a designer. By choosing apps/websites that
highlight your interests and elegantly solve your pains, you’ll make a memorable
impression.
4. How do you work with engineers/Product Managers/other designers?
The ability to empathize and understand the motivation of those you work with
is crucial. Engineers, PMs, and other designers all come with their own particular
needs and goals and if you can demonstrate your sensitivity to them, you’ll be
well received.
is crucial. Engineers, PMs, and other designers all come with their own particular
needs and goals and if you can demonstrate your sensitivity to them, you’ll be
well received.
Engineers: I’ve found that providing especially close attention to interaction
design and accounting for edge cases is important. Engineers are responsible for
building the product — making sure that your interactions function properly for all
use cases will save your engineer friends time and frustration. Also, try to speak
their language — learn how to code. Being confident in HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript is a great start.
design and accounting for edge cases is important. Engineers are responsible for
building the product — making sure that your interactions function properly for all
use cases will save your engineer friends time and frustration. Also, try to speak
their language — learn how to code. Being confident in HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript is a great start.
PMs: I emphasize communication, storytelling, and tradeoffs. PMs manage
deadlines, appeal to admins and keep projects running smoothly. Make sure
you and your PM are sync’d. Being able to tell a powerful story about your design
will also help to make their job easier when trying to persuade other stakeholders.
deadlines, appeal to admins and keep projects running smoothly. Make sure
you and your PM are sync’d. Being able to tell a powerful story about your design
will also help to make their job easier when trying to persuade other stakeholders.
Designers: Show, don’t tell. Focus your attention toward the design problem
instead of individual design preferences. Working with other designers is an
incredible opportunity for collaboration and can push you to better work. When
working with other designers, sometimes I like to practice pair design — it’s a
great way to develop shared ownership over the work and push your individual
design limits.
instead of individual design preferences. Working with other designers is an
incredible opportunity for collaboration and can push you to better work. When
working with other designers, sometimes I like to practice pair design — it’s a
great way to develop shared ownership over the work and push your individual
design limits.
5. Who in the industry do you follow and read?
Don’t fudge this question! Find some members of the design community now
that you admire and start reading — there are a lot of incredible designers out
there to source inspiration. If you don’t have a list, check out LinkedIn, Medium,
Twitter or design blogs to get started. If you’re feeling brave, reach out to members
in the community and begin to cultivate a relationship. It’s remarkable how friendly
people in the design circle can be.
(Google Ventures), Bo Ren(Facebook), Ximena Vengoechea (LinkedIn),
and Frank Yoo (Lyft) are a few members of the community that
that you admire and start reading — there are a lot of incredible designers out
there to source inspiration. If you don’t have a list, check out LinkedIn, Medium,
Twitter or design blogs to get started. If you’re feeling brave, reach out to members
in the community and begin to cultivate a relationship. It’s remarkable how friendly
people in the design circle can be.
(Google Ventures), Bo Ren(Facebook), Ximena Vengoechea (LinkedIn),
and Frank Yoo (Lyft) are a few members of the community that
I look up to, follow, and read.
6. What is the most interesting project you have worked on?
Use this as a chance to tell a story — and follow a typical story arc: background,
opportunity, process, adversity along the way, triumphs, and outcome. Talk about
what you did on the project but focus most on whythis particular project was so
interesting for you. Did it have to do with the people, circumstance, opportunity, or
something else?
Creating the user experience for a co-living space in Tokyo. This project was
meaningful to me because it was my introduction to UX and trial by fire as a
designer. I practiced UX principles in a physical space, was challenged with
designing in a foreign context (Tokyo), and I was able to find success in
ambiguity and uncertainty — when I started I really didn’t know what I was doing.
Designing in a physical space provided a laboratory for me to observe, test and
iterate in real time and built a foundation for how I now approach design problems
in a digital context.
what you did on the project but focus most on whythis particular project was so
interesting for you. Did it have to do with the people, circumstance, opportunity, or
something else?
Creating the user experience for a co-living space in Tokyo. This project was
meaningful to me because it was my introduction to UX and trial by fire as a
designer. I practiced UX principles in a physical space, was challenged with
designing in a foreign context (Tokyo), and I was able to find success in
ambiguity and uncertainty — when I started I really didn’t know what I was doing.
Designing in a physical space provided a laboratory for me to observe, test and
iterate in real time and built a foundation for how I now approach design problems
in a digital context.
7. Do you prefer to work alone or with a team?
Having self-awareness of how you work and demonstrating flexibility is key.
Consider the company you’re interviewing with — the size, what you know about
the culture, and how you might fit into work dynamics. Also be true to yourself.
The interviewer will be looking for how you play with others and determine
if you’re a good culture fit.
a graph mapping out my energy levels throughout the day. I’ve discovered I
like ‘heads-down’ time in the morning, collaborative time after lunch, (snacks
throughout the day) and time to consume content and find inspiration in the late
afternoons. I try to balance my own patterns while being aware of others and the
dynamics around me.
Consider the company you’re interviewing with — the size, what you know about
the culture, and how you might fit into work dynamics. Also be true to yourself.
The interviewer will be looking for how you play with others and determine
if you’re a good culture fit.
a graph mapping out my energy levels throughout the day. I’ve discovered I
like ‘heads-down’ time in the morning, collaborative time after lunch, (snacks
throughout the day) and time to consume content and find inspiration in the late
afternoons. I try to balance my own patterns while being aware of others and the
dynamics around me.
8. Tell me about an assignment that was too difficult. How did you handle the
situation?
or tasks that you won’t initially know how to approach (If this doesn’t happen, you
might not be really working at a startup). Think about a time you took on a difficult
task head first and struggled through ambiguity to eventually arrive at some
conclusion. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a triumphant story as long as you show
your willingness to explore, test, (fail), and iterate and demonstrate a commitment to
learn and adapt going forward.One example that comes to mind is the first time I
conducted (guerrilla) user interviews. I found myself clueless with a script in my
hand, an iPhone camera, and 7 strangers to find and interview on the street. I failed
pretty hard at first — approaching people on the go, waiting too long to make an
introduction (awkward…) and rushing my questions. I studied my footage, observed
patterns of when people could most likely be approached (lunch in the park), and
upped my confidence with the support of a friend designer and tried again. This time,
a little bit better.
situation?
or tasks that you won’t initially know how to approach (If this doesn’t happen, you
might not be really working at a startup). Think about a time you took on a difficult
task head first and struggled through ambiguity to eventually arrive at some
conclusion. It doesn’t have to necessarily be a triumphant story as long as you show
your willingness to explore, test, (fail), and iterate and demonstrate a commitment to
learn and adapt going forward.One example that comes to mind is the first time I
conducted (guerrilla) user interviews. I found myself clueless with a script in my
hand, an iPhone camera, and 7 strangers to find and interview on the street. I failed
pretty hard at first — approaching people on the go, waiting too long to make an
introduction (awkward…) and rushing my questions. I studied my footage, observed
patterns of when people could most likely be approached (lunch in the park), and
upped my confidence with the support of a friend designer and tried again. This time,
a little bit better.
9. Why do you want to work at [company x]?
I like to talk about the company from a design perspective. Focus on
mentorship, desigculture, co-workers and the type of design challenges the
company is currently facing. Make it personal and demonstrate a vision.
Being able to talk about how the company melds with your past and how
it will elevate you to where you want to be in your future shows a clear
understanding of what you want and how to get it.When I was applying for
full-time jobs, I had just left a contract gig where I was the sole designer.
I knew that I was looking for something different — a place where I could
be mentored, level up in a thriving design culture, and solve problems at
scale. I found companies that fit my focus and demonstrated how I was
aligned with the team.
mentorship, desigculture, co-workers and the type of design challenges the
company is currently facing. Make it personal and demonstrate a vision.
Being able to talk about how the company melds with your past and how
it will elevate you to where you want to be in your future shows a clear
understanding of what you want and how to get it.When I was applying for
full-time jobs, I had just left a contract gig where I was the sole designer.
I knew that I was looking for something different — a place where I could
be mentored, level up in a thriving design culture, and solve problems at
scale. I found companies that fit my focus and demonstrated how I was
aligned with the team.
10. Why should I hire you?
For young designers, this can feel like the toughest question to answer. Without
a lot of design experience, what you can offer is your hustle and a proven
willingness to learn. Emphasize it. And don’t just talk about it —show it. Point to
personal projects, blog posts, and other forms of commitment to design that
you’ve taken.As a young designer, you’ve taken an enormous leap into a new
career. Talk about this experience and share the strides you’ve taken to get to
where you are now and where you want to be. You have enormous
potential — be confident as you go.
a lot of design experience, what you can offer is your hustle and a proven
willingness to learn. Emphasize it. And don’t just talk about it —show it. Point to
personal projects, blog posts, and other forms of commitment to design that
you’ve taken.As a young designer, you’ve taken an enormous leap into a new
career. Talk about this experience and share the strides you’ve taken to get to
where you are now and where you want to be. You have enormous
potential — be confident as you go.
