Check out this video recording to see a real UX interior designer answering these questions, and watch the video below for limited tips from elder UX couturier, Dee Scarano ! ready to dive in ? then let ’ s begin !
1. Tell us about yourself
What they really want to know: How did you get into the field of UX? How did your journey through UX lead you here?
A true consultation authoritative, this interview normally pops up at the start of the interview. It sounds like a colloquial icebreaker, but there ’ s a fiddling more to it than that. What they ’ re actually asking is : Why UX design ? What led you here, and how does your travel make you a thoroughly fit for this job ? To answer this question, think about your “ UX fib ”. How did you discover your love for UX, and what have you done with it since ? What experiences have you had indeed far, either master or personal, that set you apart ? This is your here and now to introduce yourself and share a bite of background. Bear in mind that, while it ’ s a reasonably broad wonder, the interviewer is most interested in your journey to becoming a UX interior designer. Try to keep your fib vitamin a relevant as potential, linking back to the function you ’ rhenium applying for whenever it makes sense to do so. It ’ s besides a dependable estimate to have some idea of where you want your UX design career path to take you !
Mike’s tip:
start by telling them what excites you about the character, then focus on how you think you ’ five hundred be a bang-up burst, then finish with a positive argument like : “ I hope I can show you how my background and set about to UX will make me a great accession to your team ! ”
2. What is the value of UX Design?
What they really want to know: Do you truly understand the field? Why is UX design so crucial?
If you ’ ve been invited to interview for a UX position, the interviewer is credibly fairly convinced that you know what UX plan is —the casebook definition at least. so why even bother asking this basic doubt ? This is actually a very significant question, so preceptor ’ metric ton be fooled into thinking that a bare casebook definition will suffice ! The implicit in question here is whether or not you rightfully understand what UX design is—and what it most decidedly international relations and security network ’ thymine. UX design is not precisely about making things expression pretty, and sketches and wireframes aren ’ thyroxine evening the half of it. It ’ south all about the exploiter, then make this differentiation clear in your answer. Highlight the importance of empathy and user-centricity. Why is a user-first approach sol crucial, and how does it translate into good commercial enterprise ? talk about user research, customer journeys and serviceability testing. Show that you understand why UX design matters : to users, to the company, and to the population at large ! This is besides a good opportunity to show a case study from your portfolio, demonstrating your sympathy of UX in natural process. A good way to prepare for this interview is to imagine explaining UX design to people with varying degrees of cognition on the subject. How would you explain UX design to an 8 year-old child ? Or to a university graduate ? How about to a chap UX design adept ? This is a big practice technique in the lead-up to your interview as it pushes you to talk about UX in a way that ’ s apprehensible for everyone .
Mike’s tip:
spill about the value UX adds to THEIR business. By framing your discussion of UX in terms of the employer ’ s needs and priorities, you ’ re not only showing your ability to explain the importance of UX, but besides how it relates to making their product a success .
3. What is the difference between UX and other design disciplines?
What they really want to know: Do you have your priorities right as a UX designer?
You may besides be asked about the differences between UX design and other design fields, such as serve design and graphic design. Another subject that much comes up is the remainder between UX and UI. If you ’ rhenium being hired to focus entirely on UX, your likely employer needs to see that you can distinctly distinguish between the two — and, most importantly, that you ’ re more concenter on the exploiter and making things useable than you are on making them beautiful. ideally, the final examination intersection will be both, but the aesthetics are down to the UI graphic designer. here you can besides talk about how UX and UI designers work together, and show off your cognition about what a UI graphic designer actually does .
Mike’s tip:
Give an model of a project where you focused on serviceability, and worked with a colleague who handled the ocular design. If you ’ ve got know in both, talk about the priorities you set to focus on serviceability as a foremost order goal, and then how you align the visuals with that in mind. 
4. Talk us through your workflow
What they really want to know: How do you solve problems? Are you user-focused at all times?
UX design is an extremely varied, hands-on profession with problem-solving right at its kernel. The interviewer will be very matter to in your approach to solving problems and how you use design think to drive your processes. They may therefore ask you to talk through your typical UX work flow. There ’ s no correct or amiss answer here ; not all UX designers have the same methods and strategies, and that ’ s absolutely fine. The interviewer precisely wants to see that you have a well thought-out approach to your work. What ’ second your go-to plan of action when faced with a newfangled user trouble ? Make sure you cover all key steps in the march, from user research, character and user flows to prototypes, wireframes, testing and analysis. When talking through your process, show how you make sure that you ’ re design for the user at all times. It ’ randomness besides important to point out that different context require unlike approaches, and that you ’ re able to recognize and adapt to this .
Mike’s tip:
Use an example to frame your march. Talk them through your steps in handling a ( successful ! ) project. ideally, one which besides relates to the kinds of challenges you ’ ll be focusing on in this function. then wrap up by tying this march to those challenges .
5. Do you consider yourself a team player?
What they really want to know: Will you work well with developers, UI designers and product owners? Are you open to feedback and ideas?
No matchless is an island : UX design must be a group attempt, and employers want to be sure that you can collaborate. With this apparently generic question, they are assessing how well you work with others — from intersection managers and UI designers to developers and CEOs. Throughout the integral invention process, you ’ ll work with different people who are approaching the project from different angles, so it ’ south authoritative to appreciate and empathize with a range of perspectives. vitamin a far as the caller is concerned, your job is to spread the value of good purpose throughout the administration. You can ’ metric ton do this if you ’ re a reluctant team musician. Your answer should emphasize communication, efficiency and an receptiveness to feedback and ideas. Weave in a few real-life examples ; possibly you took the inaugural to set up monthly meetings with the CEO at your last company in orderliness to understand their vision, or possibly you ’ ve been learning a bit of code on the side to better collaborate with developers .
Mike’s tip:
spill about a prison term when collaboration was key to making the project a success. Outline the challenge, the steps your team took, your particular function in all of this and how things ended up. Relate this summons to a typical challenge for doing good design, and relate this process to succeeding at delivering a well-designed product .
6. Tell us about your most (or least) successful UX design project
What they really want to know: What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses and how do you learn from them?
This is basically a more UX-specific direction of asking about your strengths and weaknesses.
If the interviewer wants to hear about your most successful UX project, they ’ re in truth looking to gauge where your strengths dwell. Talk about why the plan was therefore successful in your public opinion, and the contribution you made to the final result. What finical strengths of yours did this project draw upon or bring out ? You can besides talk about measurable results here, such as an increase in sign-up rates ; this is a capital way to show how your work contributes to business goals and the bottom agate line. If they ask about your least successful project, they ’ re keen to suss out your weaknesses. Be strategic here : while you should be honest, you still want to paint yourself in a thoroughly light. talk about where the project went ill-timed and the challenges you faced, but besides how you overcame them and what you learned. Show that you can acknowledge your failures and turn them into something constructive ; those are the kinds of UX designers that businesses want to hire !
Mike’s tip:
In both of these scenarios, your learnings are a identify expression of the answer. How would you evaluate the project ’ second success in terms of reaching its goals ? Talk about what you did to make this happen ( or mitigate the failure ). end by highlighting the takeaways from this consequence : what did you learn that you ’ ve used on other projects, and what did you learn to avoid ? 
7. How do you practice universal design?
What they really want to know: Are you clued up on inclusive UX? Do you know how to design for ALL users?
Accessibility is a huge subject, so don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be surprised if it comes up in your UX design consultation. As a designer, you have a province to make products and experiences equally accessible as possible. This means provide for both impermanent, situational constraints and permanent wave or long-run impairments. When designing an app, for exercise, how do you ensure a estimable exploiter experience for visually mar users ? How would you make a television more accessible for users watching it on a noisy, crowded prepare ? ultimately, universal invention is good for business ; the more inclusive the merchandise, the wide-eyed an consultation it can reach. Before your interview, make sure you are clued up on inclusive design and can talk about it in relation to the company ’ south product .
Mike’s tip:
talk about the importance of universal design from a business perspective : why is being accessible to all users a winning scheme for a clientele or product ?
8. What do you think will be the next big thing in UX design?
What they really want to know: Are you passionate about your craft? Have you got your finger on the pulse?
Employers not only want to see that you ’ ve got the skills to do the speculate. They besides want to see that you ’ rhenium passionate about your make and that you do the ongoing make of keeping your UX skills in shape. Don ’ metric ton get excessively hung up on making the most accurate prediction for the future—this is more about showing that you ’ rhenium mindful of what ’ s going on around you and the commission in which the industry is moving. This is a good time to talk about any books or UX invention web log you ’ re presently reading. If you talk about the rise of voice engineering, for example, you can mention your favorite articles, videos or podcasts that talk about this subject. This demonstrates that you ’ re constantly learning and keeping your finger on the pulsate. If you ’ d like some tips for future UX trends, then this video by season UX couturier Maureen Herben will give you a commodity idea of what ’ s very going to be hot in the field :
Mike’s tip:
If you ’ re in truth passionate about a detail course, relate it to the employer ’ s occupation needs and goals. How do you see it contributing to their success ?
9. How would you improve the UX of our product?
What they really want to know: Have you researched the company? Are you full of ideas and ready to hit the ground running?
This can be quite an daunting wonder, but don ’ t let it scare you. This is an excellent opportunity to show that you ’ ve researched the company and truly thought about how you can add value. This in turn demonstrates a genuine interest in the function, which can only go in your favor ! In the lead-up to your interview, spend some time exploring their web site and, if they ’ ve got one, their mobile app. Identify one or two things you think could be improved, and come up with a plan of action as to how you would do so. If nothing in detail stands out, talk about how you might conduct some general serviceability tests to see how the current blueprint is performing. Remember to think about who their target users are, and to mention these personas when sharing your ideas. Be certain to ask a few searching questions to show that, while you ’ ve researched the merchandise, you understand the motivation to consult those who know it best in arrange to corroborate your assumptions. once your assumptions have been confirmed or remodeled, you can deliver your electric potential solutions and demonstrate your think processes .
Mike’s tip:
statesmanship here is key. Remember, one of the 3 things an interviewer is trying to find out is the answer to the motion : Can we stand working with you ? Don ’ metric ton be afraid to defend your thoughts ( while recognising you may not be privy to all of the background information which shaped the current product ), but be aware of how you present the information : don ’ thymine go out of your way to step on any toes, or make it sound like this is information they should already know. 
10. Where do you go for UX design inspiration?
What they really want to know: Are you constantly learning and developing? Are you invested in the industry?
In such a quickly evolving field as UX design, the merely manner to stay on top of your game is by constantly learning. Most employers will be curious to know how you go about this continuous learning process ; where ( or who ) do you turn to for inhalation ? How do you make clock for continued development ? even if you follow loads of influential UXers on Twitter and have a ledge broad of design books, the thinker often has a tendency to go blank when asked to name them on the spotlight ! Go prepared with a mental short list of your inspirational favorites ; this could be anything from podcasts and blogs to YouTubers or personal contacts. arsenic long as you can talk about why they ’ rhenium inspirational to you and convey that much-needed exuberance for learning, the interviewer will be all ears .
Mike’s tip:
Keep your consultation in judgment. You may get inspiration and ideas from lots of places, but by talking about how they shape your approach to design and how this relates to their products and challenges .
11. Hands-on UX design challenge
What they really want to know: Can you walk the walk? Can you perform under pressure?
You know that honest-to-god saying that actions speak louder than words ? This is surely true of UX design interviews. In accession to answering questions verbally, you may besides be asked to complete a hands-on design challenge ! Skills-based challenges come in many different forms. You may be given a design trouble to work on in your own time, or you might be asked to critique an app on the spot. then there ’ s the whiteboard challenge. As the mention suggests, you ’ ll be presented with a problem and asked to design the solution there and then, documenting your stallion serve on a whiteboard and talking the panel through it as you go .
Mike’s tip:
With any design challenge, be it take-home or an on-the-spot whiteboard challenge, the key is to clarify assumptions and show your summons. How you approach the trouble, how you lay out your initial assumptions and how you discuss your march are more significant than the final result.
Final thoughts
so there you have it : 11 essential UX design interview questions and how to answer them. For far tips, check out this video where career specialist Alessandro Di Dedda shares their technical advice on how to prepare for a UX design interview. You might besides find these articles useful :
