Interview Guide for

Product Designer

This comprehensive interview guide for Product Designers provides structured, behavior-based questions designed to assess candidates' abilities to create intuitive, engaging user experiences while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams. With adaptable questions for various seniority levels and focused scorecards, this guide streamlines your product design hiring process and helps you identify exceptional talent.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide serves as your roadmap to conducting effective, consistent, and insightful Product Designer interviews. To get the most value from it:

Customize for your needs - Adapt questions and exercises to focus on your company's specific product design challenges and cultural values.
Share with your hiring team - Ensure everyone involved in the interview process understands the structure, questions, and evaluation criteria for consistent candidate assessment.
Follow the sequence - Use the designed interview flow to progressively evaluate candidates from basic qualifications to in-depth competencies.
Use follow-up questions - Probe deeper into candidates' answers to understand their thought processes, problem-solving approaches, and experience.
Score independently - Have each interviewer complete their scorecard without discussing the candidate until the debrief meeting to avoid bias.

For additional resources, check out Yardstick's interview question library or learn more about conducting structured interviews.

Job Description

Product Designer

About [Company]

[Company] is a [industry] company dedicated to creating intuitive, user-friendly products that solve real problems for our customers. Our talented team works collaboratively to design and build solutions that make a meaningful impact in [industry].

The Role

As a Product Designer at [Company], you'll play a crucial role in shaping our product experience from concept to execution. You'll collaborate with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to create intuitive, engaging, and visually appealing designs that solve real user problems. Your work will directly impact how users interact with our products and contribute to our company's ongoing success.

Key Responsibilities

Partner with product managers to understand business requirements and translate them into elegant design solutions
Create user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for digital products
Conduct user research and usability testing to validate design decisions
Contribute to and maintain our design system, ensuring consistency across products
Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure proper implementation of designs
Present and defend design decisions to stakeholders with clear rationale
Continuously iterate designs based on user feedback and metrics
Stay current with industry trends and best practices in UX/UI design

What We're Looking For

Strong portfolio demonstrating user-centered design principles and visual design skills
Experience designing products/features from concept to launch
Proficiency with design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD)
Understanding of interaction design principles, usability, and accessibility standards
Excellent communication skills and ability to articulate design decisions
Experience with user research methods and applying research findings to designs
Ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional teams
Problem-solving mindset and attention to detail
[Experience level: 1-2 years for Junior, 3-5 years for Mid-level, 5+ years for Senior]

Why Join [Company]

At [Company], we're passionate about creating products that make a difference. You'll work with a collaborative team of talented individuals who value innovation and creativity. We offer:

Competitive salary range of [Pay Range]
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
Flexible work arrangements including remote options
Professional development opportunities and education stipend
[Additional benefits specific to your company]

Hiring Process

We've designed our interview process to be efficient, informative, and respectful of your time. The process typically includes:

Initial Screening Interview - A 30-minute conversation with a recruiter to discuss your background, experience, and assess mutual fit.
Portfolio Review & Design Exercise - You'll present selected projects from your portfolio and complete a short design exercise that demonstrates your skills and approach.
Design Competency Interview - An in-depth discussion focused on your design process, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative approach.
Cross-Functional Team Interview - Meet with potential teammates from product management and engineering to understand how you'd work together.
Final Interview with Leadership - Connect with design leadership to discuss your career aspirations and how you can contribute to our team.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Product Designer is responsible for creating intuitive, engaging user experiences that solve real problems for our customers. This role requires a balance of strong visual design skills, user-centered thinking, collaboration abilities, and technical understanding. The ideal candidate will blend creativity with analytical thinking to design solutions that are both beautiful and functional.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Design Thinking - Applies a user-centered approach to problem-solving, using empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing to create innovative solutions that meet user needs and business goals.

Communication - Clearly articulates design concepts, decisions, and feedback to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders, using appropriate visual and verbal methods.

Collaboration - Works effectively with cross-functional team members, actively participating in design discussions, valuing diverse perspectives, and finding consensus to achieve shared goals.

Problem-Solving - Approaches complex design challenges with a systematic methodology, breaking them down into manageable components and developing creative, effective solutions.

Adaptability - Responds positively to changing priorities, embraces constructive feedback, and continuously evolves designs through iteration based on new information or constraints.

Desired Outcomes

Design and ship features that improve key user engagement metrics by 15% within six months of launch
Contribute to building and maintaining a cohesive design system that improves design consistency and development efficiency
Reduce user errors and support tickets by 20% through intuitive interface designs and clear user flows
Collaborate effectively with product and engineering teams to ensure high-quality implementation of designs
Establish user research practices that provide actionable insights for product improvements

Ideal Candidate Traits

Curiosity - Demonstrates genuine interest in understanding user needs, business contexts, and emerging design trends
Attention to Detail - Shows meticulous care for visual consistency, interaction details, and overall user experience quality
Empathy - Truly understands and advocates for user needs while balancing business requirements
Growth Mindset - Continuously seeks to improve skills, embraces feedback, and learns from both successes and failures
Strategic Thinking - Connects design decisions to larger product strategy and business objectives
Visual Craft - Demonstrates strong visual design skills with an understanding of typography, color theory, and composition
Technical Understanding - Comprehends technical constraints and possibilities when designing digital products
For senior candidates: Mentorship skills and ability to lead design processes across multiple workstreams
Location preference: [Location] (remote/hybrid flexibility as appropriate)

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

The screening interview is designed to quickly identify candidates with the potential to excel as Product Designers at [Company]. This initial conversation should assess the candidate's background, design experience, tool proficiency, and approach to user-centered design. Look for evidence of the essential competencies: design thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability.

Focus your evaluation on the candidate's portfolio examples, professional experiences, and how they articulate their design process. Pay attention to their enthusiasm about product design, their understanding of its business impact, and their ability to communicate design concepts clearly. This interview should help determine if the candidate has the fundamental qualifications and disposition required for the role.

Best Practices:

Review the candidate's portfolio before the interview
Ask open-ended questions that reveal thought processes
Listen for how candidates balance user needs with business goals
Assess communication style and clarity
Reserve 5-10 minutes for candidate questions

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this conversation, we'd like to learn more about your background in product design, understand your approach to design challenges, and hear about some of your key projects. I'll be asking about your experience, design process, and how you've collaborated with different teams. Please feel free to share specific examples from your work that demonstrate your skills. We'll also leave time at the end for any questions you have about the role or [Company].

Interview Questions

Tell me about your journey into product design. What attracted you to this field, and how has your approach evolved over time?

Areas to Cover

Educational background and career path
Key influences and inspirations
How they've developed their design philosophy
Growth in understanding of user-centered design
Self-awareness about strengths and areas for improvement

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was a pivotal moment in your development as a designer?
How has your approach to design problems changed as you've gained experience?
What design principles do you value most and why?

Walk me through a recent project from your portfolio that you're particularly proud of. What was your role, and what was the impact of your work?

Areas to Cover

Clear articulation of the project scope and objectives
Their specific contributions to the project
Design process they followed
Collaboration with other team members
How success was measured
Business or user impact of the final product

Possible Follow-up Questions

What were the biggest challenges in this project and how did you overcome them?
How did you incorporate user feedback into your design process?
If you could go back, what would you change about your approach?

Describe your experience with user research. How do you incorporate user insights into your design process?

Areas to Cover

Types of research methods they've used
How they plan research to answer specific questions
Ways they've synthesized research findings
Examples of how research has influenced their designs
Ability to conduct research with limited resources or time constraints

Possible Follow-up Questions

Can you share an example where research findings significantly changed your design direction?
How do you balance user feedback with business requirements?
What research methods do you find most valuable for different stages of the design process?

How do you approach collaboration with cross-functional teams, particularly engineers and product managers?

Areas to Cover

Examples of successful collaboration
How they handle differing opinions or priorities
Communication methods they use with technical and non-technical team members
Understanding of the constraints and considerations of other disciplines
Experience with design handoff processes

Possible Follow-up Questions

Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with an engineer or PM about a design decision. How did you resolve it?
How do you ensure your designs are technically feasible?
What strategies do you use to get buy-in for your design solutions?

Describe your proficiency with design tools. What is your workflow typically like?

Areas to Cover

Tools they're comfortable using (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, etc.)
How they organize their files and design systems
Prototyping approaches and tools
Experience with design handoff tools
Adaptability to learning new tools

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you decide which fidelity level is appropriate at different design stages?
What are your thoughts on the role of design systems in your workflow?
How do you stay current with evolving design tools and technologies?

What aspects of product design do you find most challenging, and how do you approach those challenges?

Areas to Cover

Self-awareness about areas for growth
Strategies for overcoming design challenges
Resilience and problem-solving approach
Willingness to seek help or feedback
Examples of how they've improved in challenging areas

Possible Follow-up Questions

Can you share a specific example of a design challenge and how you overcame it?
How do you handle situations where you're uncertain about the best design approach?
What resources do you use to develop your skills in areas you find challenging?

Interview Scorecard

Design Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited understanding of user-centered design principles
2: Demonstrates basic application of design thinking but lacks depth
3: Consistently applies user-centered design approaches with clear methodologies
4: Exhibits exceptional design thinking with innovative approaches to user needs

Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate design decisions or process clearly
2: Communicates adequately but sometimes lacks clarity or persuasiveness
3: Clearly explains design decisions with well-structured reasoning
4: Exceptional communicator who can tailor explanations to different audiences with compelling rationales

Portfolio Quality

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Portfolio shows basic design skills but lacks depth or polish
2: Solid portfolio with some strong examples but some inconsistency
3: Strong portfolio demonstrating consistent quality across projects
4: Outstanding portfolio showing exceptional creativity, skill, and impact

Technical Proficiency

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited knowledge of design tools and processes
2: Familiar with standard tools but workflow may be inefficient
3: Proficient with modern design tools and has efficient workflows
4: Expert-level mastery of design tools with optimized processes

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Design Exercise & Portfolio Review

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview combines a portfolio review with a hands-on design exercise to assess the candidate's practical design skills and problem-solving approach. Begin by having the candidate walk through 2-3 key projects from their portfolio, focusing on their process, decisions, and impact. Then transition to the design exercise, which evaluates their ability to tackle a realistic design challenge under time constraints.

During the portfolio review, look for evidence of strong design thinking, user-centered approaches, and the ability to articulate design decisions clearly. In the design exercise, assess how they approach a new problem, their process for generating solutions, and their ability to iterate based on constraints.

Best Practices:

Send the design exercise brief 24-48 hours before the interview so candidates can prepare
Structure the exercise to be completed in 45-60 minutes
Focus on process and thinking rather than pixel-perfect designs
Ask clarifying questions about assumptions and decisions
Consider how they prioritize features and requirements
Evaluate both the solution and how they present/defend it
Save time for reflection and feedback on their approach

Directions to Share with Candidate

This interview has two parts: a portfolio review followed by a design exercise. First, please walk us through 2-3 projects from your portfolio that best showcase your skills and experience. For each project, explain the problem you were solving, your design process, key decisions you made, and the impact of your work.

For the design exercise, you'll have 45 minutes to work on a realistic design challenge based on the brief we sent you. We're interested in seeing your approach to problem-solving, your design process, and how you make decisions under constraints. Remember to think aloud and explain your reasoning as you work. We're more interested in your process than a perfect final design.

Design Exercise Brief

Redesign Challenge: Feature Improvement

You've been tasked with improving the user experience of a specific feature in our product. Based on user feedback, we've identified several pain points that need addressing.

Your task:

Analyze the current design and identify key usability issues
Sketch or wireframe potential solutions
Create a mid-fidelity mockup of your recommended solution
Prepare a brief explanation of your design decisions and how they address user needs

Note: Choose a feature type that's relevant to your product (e.g., onboarding flow, dashboard, content creation tool, checkout process, etc.)

Interview Questions

For the Portfolio Review: Tell me about the most complex design problem you've solved. What made it challenging, and how did you approach it?

Areas to Cover

Clear articulation of the problem complexity
Systematic approach to breaking down the problem
Research methods used to understand the challenge
Explorations and iterations on potential solutions
Collaboration with other team members
How they measured success of the solution
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

What alternative approaches did you consider?
How did you prioritize which aspects of the problem to solve first?
What would you do differently if you tackled this problem again?

For the Portfolio Review: How do you balance aesthetics with usability in your design work? Can you show an example?

Areas to Cover

Understanding of the relationship between form and function
Examples of making design decisions that enhance rather than hinder usability
Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles
How they've resolved conflicts between visual design and usability
Use of design patterns and conventions appropriately

Possible Follow-up Questions

Can you share an instance where you had to sacrifice visual appeal for usability?
How do you ensure your designs are accessible to all users?
How do you know when a design is both visually appealing and usable?

For the Design Exercise: Walk me through your thinking process as you approached this design challenge.

Areas to Cover

Initial analysis of the problem
How they prioritized user needs and business requirements
Exploration of different solutions
Decision-making process for the final direction
Awareness of constraints and limitations
Consideration of edge cases and different user types

Possible Follow-up Questions

What were the key insights that guided your solution?
What assumptions did you make, and how would you validate them?
What would you do differently with more time?

For the Design Exercise: How would you measure the success of this design solution if it were implemented?

Areas to Cover

Understanding of relevant metrics and KPIs
Connection between design decisions and business goals
Methods for gathering user feedback post-implementation
Plans for iterating based on performance data
Balancing qualitative and quantitative measures of success

Possible Follow-up Questions

What specific metrics would you track to evaluate this design?
How would you set up an A/B test for this feature?
What user research methods would you employ to validate the design?

For Both: How do you approach designing for edge cases and error states?

Areas to Cover

Process for identifying potential edge cases
Examples of thoughtful error state designs from past work
Balance between handling exceptions and maintaining clean interfaces
Consideration for users in frustrated or confused states
Prevention strategies to minimize errors

Possible Follow-up Questions

Can you share an example of an error state you're particularly proud of designing?
How do you decide which edge cases are worth addressing in your designs?
How do you communicate error messages effectively to users?

Interview Scorecard

Design Process

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Follows an inconsistent or unclear design process
2: Uses a standard design process but may skip important steps
3: Demonstrates a thorough, thoughtful design process appropriate to the problem
4: Shows an exceptional, adaptive process with innovative approaches to design challenges

Problem-Solving Ability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to analyze problems or generates obvious solutions only
2: Can solve straightforward problems but may miss nuances or edge cases
3: Effectively analyzes complex problems and develops well-reasoned solutions
4: Exceptional problem solver who uncovers hidden issues and creates innovative solutions

Visual Design Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Basic visual design skills with inconsistent application of principles
2: Solid grasp of visual design principles but work lacks sophistication
3: Strong visual design abilities with consistent application of principles
4: Outstanding visual designer whose work shows mastery of composition, typography, and color

Interaction Design Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Creates basic interactions that may not always be intuitive
2: Designs functional interactions but may miss opportunities for enhancement
3: Creates thoughtful, intuitive interactions that anticipate user needs
4: Exceptional interaction designer who creates seamless, delightful user experiences

Rapid Ideation and Iteration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to generate multiple ideas or iterate effectively
2: Can generate and iterate on ideas but process may be slow or limited
3: Effectively generates multiple design options and iterates based on feedback
4: Exceptional ability to rapidly explore many solutions and iterate to optimal designs

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Design Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on evaluating the candidate's design competencies through behavioral questions about past experiences. The goal is to understand how the candidate approaches design challenges, collaborates with others, and applies design thinking to create effective solutions.

Focus on the candidate's specific examples and probe for details about their process, decisions, and outcomes. Look for evidence of the essential competencies: design thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability. Pay attention to how they balance user needs with business goals, how they incorporate feedback, and how they measure the success of their designs.

Best Practices:

Ask candidates to provide specific examples from their experience
Use follow-up questions to understand the context, actions, and results
Listen for how candidates reflect on their experiences and what they learned
Look for candidates who can articulate their design rationale clearly
Assess how candidates have handled challenges and conflicts
Reserve 5-10 minutes for candidate questions at the end

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, I'll be asking you about your past experiences as a designer to understand your approach to design challenges and collaboration. Please share specific examples from your work, including the context, your actions, and the outcomes. I'm interested in understanding your design process, how you make decisions, and how you work with others to create effective solutions. Feel free to use any projects you've worked on, including those we may have already discussed in previous interviews.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to redesign an existing feature based on user feedback. What was your process, and what was the outcome? (Design Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover

How they gathered and analyzed user feedback
Their process for prioritizing which issues to address
The research or analysis they conducted before designing
How they balanced user needs with business requirements
Their approach to iterating on designs
How they measured the success of the redesign
Collaboration with other team members during the process

Possible Follow-up Questions

What were the most significant insights you gained from user feedback?
How did you validate that your redesign addressed the original issues?
What constraints did you have to work within, and how did they influence your approach?

Describe a situation where you had to advocate for the user in the face of competing business priorities. How did you approach this, and what was the result? (Communication, Design Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of both user needs and business goals
How they built a case for prioritizing user experience
Their approach to communicating with stakeholders
Their ability to find compromises or creative solutions
The outcome of their advocacy efforts
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you frame your argument to make it compelling to business stakeholders?
What data or evidence did you use to support your position?
Looking back, would you approach the situation differently now?

Tell me about a time when you had to collaborate closely with engineers to implement a complex design. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? (Collaboration, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Their process for collaborating with technical team members
How they communicated design requirements and rationale
Their understanding of technical constraints
How they handled disagreements or challenges
Adjustments they made to their designs based on technical feedback
The outcome of the collaboration
Methods they used for design handoff

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you ensure your designs were technically feasible?
What did you learn about working with engineers through this experience?
How did you handle situations where your ideal design wasn't technically possible?

Describe a project where you had to make significant design decisions with limited data or research. How did you approach this situation? (Problem-Solving, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Their approach to making informed decisions with constraints
Methods they used to gather what information they could
How they leveraged existing knowledge, patterns, or heuristics
Their process for testing assumptions
How they mitigated risks in their design decisions
Plans they made for validating designs post-implementation
Lessons learned from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

What assumptions did you make, and how did you validate them?
How comfortable were you making decisions with limited information?
What would you have done differently with more time or resources for research?

Tell me about a time when you received critical feedback on your design. How did you respond, and what did you learn? (Adaptability, Communication)

Areas to Cover

Their reaction to receiving critical feedback
How they evaluated the validity of the feedback
Their process for incorporating feedback into their designs
Their ability to separate personal attachment from professional critique
How they communicated with the feedback provider
The outcome of the situation
Growth or development resulting from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you distinguish between feedback that should be incorporated and feedback that should be challenged?
How has this experience changed how you approach design reviews or feedback sessions?
What is your general approach to receiving and processing feedback?

Interview Scorecard

Design Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited application of design thinking principles
2: Applies basic design thinking but may miss opportunities for deeper insights
3: Consistently demonstrates strong design thinking with user-centered approaches
4: Exhibits exceptional design thinking with innovative approaches that balance user needs and business goals

Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate design decisions or communicate effectively with stakeholders
2: Communicates adequately but may lack clarity or persuasiveness in complex situations
3: Communicates design concepts and decisions clearly with effective rationales
4: Exceptional communicator who tailors messages appropriately to different audiences and effectively advocates for design choices

Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited ability to work effectively with others or understand other perspectives
2: Collaborates adequately but may struggle with challenging team dynamics
3: Demonstrates strong collaboration skills and works effectively across functions
4: Exceptional collaborator who builds strong relationships and navigates complex team dynamics with ease

Problem-Solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Takes simplistic approaches to design problems with limited analysis
2: Solves straightforward problems effectively but may struggle with complexity
3: Demonstrates strong problem-solving with systematic approaches to complex challenges
4: Exceptional problem-solver who identifies root issues and develops innovative solutions

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Resists change or struggles to adjust to new information or constraints
2: Adapts to change adequately but may take time to adjust
3: Demonstrates strong adaptability, embracing feedback and changing course when needed
4: Exceptionally adaptable, thriving in changing environments and turning constraints into opportunities

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Cross-Functional Team Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview brings together team members from product management and engineering to assess how well the candidate would collaborate with cross-functional partners. The focus is on understanding how the candidate navigates the intersection of design, product requirements, and technical constraints.

This panel interview should include at least one product manager and one engineer who would potentially work with the candidate. Each interviewer should focus on assessing how the candidate would collaborate with their respective function while evaluating general collaboration skills and problem-solving approaches.

Best Practices:

Have interviewers coordinate questions beforehand to avoid redundancy
Each interviewer should focus primarily on the candidate's ability to work with their function
Create a comfortable environment for open discussion
Ask about specific past experiences working across functions
Present realistic scenarios the candidate might face in the role
Look for empathy, understanding of different perspectives, and communication skills
Reserve 10-15 minutes for candidate questions at the end

Directions to Share with Candidate

In this interview, you'll be speaking with team members from product management and engineering who would be your partners if you join [Company]. We want to understand how you collaborate with cross-functional teams and navigate the balance between design excellence, product requirements, and technical feasibility. Please share specific examples from your past experiences, and feel free to ask questions about how our teams work together. This is as much an opportunity for you to learn about our collaborative dynamics as it is for us to learn about your approach.

Interview Questions

From Product Management: Tell us about a time when you had to adjust your design vision based on product constraints or priorities. How did you handle this situation? (Adaptability, Collaboration)

Areas to Cover

Their approach to understanding product requirements and priorities
How they balanced design ideals with business or product realities
Their willingness to compromise while still advocating for users
Communication with product managers during the process
Their ability to find creative solutions within constraints
How they prioritized design changes or features
The outcome of the situation and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you ensure the core user needs were still being addressed despite the constraints?
What strategies do you use to align your design thinking with product goals?
How do you typically work with product managers to define requirements?

From Engineering: Describe your process for collaborating with engineers during the implementation phase of a project. How do you ensure your designs are implemented as intended? (Collaboration, Communication)

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of the development process
Methods they use for design handoff
How they document design specifications and interactions
Their approach to being available for questions during implementation
Experience with design QA or review processes
How they handle technical constraints that emerge during development
Examples of successful collaboration with engineering teams

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you respond when engineers suggest alterations to your designs for technical reasons?
What information do you find most important to communicate to engineers about your designs?
How have you improved your collaboration with engineering teams over time?

From Both: Describe a situation where there was disagreement between design, product, and engineering about the best approach to solving a problem. How did you navigate this conflict? (Problem-Solving, Communication)

Areas to Cover

Their approach to understanding different perspectives
Communication strategies in conflict situations
How they build consensus among team members
Their ability to compromise while still advocating for users
Methods for evaluating different solutions objectively
The resolution of the conflict and lessons learned
Their attitude toward cross-functional conflicts

Possible Follow-up Questions

What did you learn about working across functions from this experience?
How do you ensure everyone feels heard in these situations?
What strategies have you found most effective for resolving cross-functional disagreements?

From Product Management: How do you incorporate business goals and metrics into your design process? Can you give us an example? (Design Thinking, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of business metrics and goals
How they balance user needs with business objectives
Methods for measuring the impact of design decisions
Experience working with data or analytics
How they prioritize design efforts based on business impact
Their approach to iterating designs based on performance data
Examples of designs that drove business results

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine which metrics are most relevant to a particular design project?
What process do you follow when analyzing data to inform design decisions?
How do you communicate the business impact of your design work?

From Engineering: Tell us about your experience working with technical constraints. How do you approach designing within platform limitations? (Adaptability, Problem-Solving)

Areas to Cover

Their understanding of technical platforms and constraints
How they learn about technical limitations
Their approach to designing within system capabilities
Examples of creative solutions within technical constraints
How they balance pushing technical boundaries versus working within them
Their interest in understanding the technical aspects of products
Communication with engineering about technical possibilities

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you stay informed about technical capabilities and limitations?
Can you share an example where you had to significantly revise a design due to technical constraints?
How do you advocate for technical improvements that would enable better user experiences?

From Both: Describe your ideal workflow for collaborating with product and engineering teams throughout the product development process. (Collaboration, Communication)

Areas to Cover

Their expectations for involvement at different stages
Communication methods they prefer
How they approach design reviews and feedback
Their understanding of agile development processes
Methods for staying aligned with team members
How they handle fast-moving projects or changing requirements
Examples of effective workflows from past experiences

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you ensure you're included in key decisions that impact design?
What have you found works well for keeping cross-functional teams aligned?
How do you balance collaboration time with focused design time?

Interview Scorecard

Cross-Functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited ability to work effectively across functions
2: Collaborates adequately but may struggle to balance different perspectives
3: Demonstrates strong collaboration with both product and engineering teams
4: Exceptional collaborator who builds strong relationships and drives alignment across functions

Technical Understanding

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited grasp of technical considerations in design
2: Basic understanding of technical constraints but may miss nuances
3: Strong understanding of technical feasibility and implementation considerations
4: Exceptional technical awareness that enhances collaboration with engineering

Product Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on design without connecting to product goals
2: Understands product requirements but may not fully integrate them
3: Strong product thinking that balances user needs with business objectives
4: Exceptional product sense that enhances design decisions and drives business impact

Communication with Stakeholders

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to communicate effectively with different stakeholders
2: Communicates adequately but may not tailor approach to audience
3: Strong communicator who effectively explains design decisions to different stakeholders
4: Exceptional communicator who builds understanding and buy-in across diverse teams

Conflict Resolution

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Avoids conflict or struggles to navigate disagreements productively
2: Handles straightforward conflicts but may struggle with complex disagreements
3: Effectively navigates conflicts with a focus on finding the best solution
4: Exceptional at turning conflicts into opportunities for better outcomes

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Leadership Interview (Optional)

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview is designed for design leadership (Design Director, Head of Design, etc.) to assess the candidate's alignment with the company's design vision, culture fit, and career aspirations. It's an opportunity to evaluate the candidate's potential for growth within the organization and to discuss how their skills and experience would contribute to the design team's success.

Focus on understanding the candidate's design philosophy, leadership potential (even for individual contributor roles), and how they view their career progression. This is also a chance to share more about the company's design culture, team structure, and opportunities for development.

Best Practices:

Review feedback from previous interviews before this session
Create a comfortable environment for open discussion
Share information about the design team's structure, processes, and culture
Ask about the candidate's career aspirations and growth areas
Discuss how the role fits into their career trajectory
Provide insight into mentorship and development opportunities
Reserve 15-20 minutes for the candidate to ask questions

Directions to Share with Candidate

This conversation is an opportunity for us to discuss your career aspirations, design philosophy, and how you might fit within our design team at [Company]. I'd like to learn more about how you approach design challenges, your perspective on design's role in product development, and what you're looking for in your next role. Please feel free to ask questions about our design culture, team structure, and opportunities for growth. This is as much about you getting to know us as it is about us getting to know you.

Interview Questions

How would you describe your design philosophy? How has it evolved throughout your career? (Design Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their core design principles and values
How they balance aesthetics with functionality
Their approach to user-centered design
How their philosophy has developed over time
Influences that have shaped their perspective
How they apply their philosophy in practical work
Alignment with the company's design approach

Possible Follow-up Questions

How does your design philosophy influence your day-to-day work?
What experiences have most significantly shaped your design approach?
How do you see your philosophy continuing to evolve?

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement as a designer? What made it significant? (Problem-Solving, Design Thinking)

Areas to Cover

The challenge or opportunity they addressed
Their specific contributions to the achievement
Collaborative aspects of the work
Impact on users and business outcomes
Skills or capabilities they demonstrated
What made this achievement particularly meaningful
Lessons they took away from the experience

Possible Follow-up Questions

What obstacles did you overcome to achieve this success?
How did this achievement influence your subsequent work?
What aspects of this project are you most proud of?

How do you approach mentoring or helping more junior designers grow? (Communication, Collaboration)

Areas to Cover

Their approach to knowledge sharing and guidance
Examples of mentoring or teaching experiences
How they balance direction with allowing room for growth
Their ability to adapt their approach to different learning styles
How they view their own role in developing others
Their interest in this aspect of professional growth
For junior candidates: how they seek and incorporate mentorship

Possible Follow-up Questions

What have you found most effective when helping others develop their skills?
How do you balance providing guidance with allowing people to learn through experience?
What have you learned about yourself through mentoring others?

How do you stay current with design trends and evolving best practices? (Adaptability, Design Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Methods they use for continuous learning
Resources they turn to for inspiration and education
How they evaluate trends versus timeless principles
Their approach to incorporating new techniques or tools
Examples of how they've evolved their skills over time
Their perspective on design trends versus fads
Specific areas of design they're currently exploring

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you determine which new trends are worth adopting?
What recent development in design has most influenced your work?
How do you balance learning new skills with deepening existing expertise?

How do you see your career evolving over the next few years? What skills or experiences are you hoping to develop? (Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Their short and long-term career aspirations
Skills they want to develop or strengthen
Types of projects or challenges they're seeking
How they view their own strengths and growth areas
Their interest in leadership or specialized paths
Alignment between their goals and the company's opportunities
Their approach to professional development

Possible Follow-up Questions

What aspects of this role are you most excited about?
How do you plan to develop the skills you've mentioned?
What support would help you achieve your career goals?

How do you advocate for design within an organization? How have you helped non-designers understand the value of good design? (Communication, Design Thinking)

Areas to Cover

Their approach to explaining design decisions and value
Methods they use to build design literacy in an organization
Examples of successfully advocating for design resources or priorities
How they connect design outcomes to business metrics
Their ability to translate design concepts for different audiences
Examples of overcoming resistance or skepticism
Their view on design's role in the broader organization

Possible Follow-up Questions

What strategies have you found most effective when advocating for design?
How do you handle situations where design is undervalued or misunderstood?
How do you build relationships with stakeholders to increase design influence?

Interview Scorecard

Design Vision & Philosophy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unclear or underdeveloped design philosophy
2: Has a defined philosophy but may lack depth or nuance
3: Demonstrates a thoughtful, well-articulated design philosophy
4: Exceptional design vision that shows deep reflection and principled approach

Leadership Potential

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited interest or capability in leadership aspects
2: Demonstrates some leadership qualities but may need development
3: Strong leadership potential with examples of positive influence
4: Exceptional leadership qualities that would elevate the entire design team

Growth Mindset

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows limited interest in continued learning or development
2: Open to learning but may not actively pursue growth opportunities
3: Demonstrates consistent commitment to professional development
4: Exceptional drive for growth with concrete plans for skill development

Design Advocacy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to effectively advocate for design or explain its value
2: Can advocate for design in straightforward situations
3: Effectively champions design across the organization
4: Exceptional ability to build design understanding and influence

Cultural Fit

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: May not align well with company values or design culture
2: Generally aligns with culture but may have some mismatches
3: Strong alignment with company values and design culture
4: Exceptional fit that would enhance the existing culture

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.
Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.
The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or from leadership's opinions.
Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.
Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Question: Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Question: Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Question: Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Question: Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

Question: If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

Question: What are the next steps?Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Reference checks are a critical final stage in the hiring process for Product Designers. They provide valuable third-party insights into a candidate's work style, skills, and impact that can validate or raise questions about what you've learned during interviews.

When conducting reference checks for Product Designers, focus on understanding the candidate's design process, collaboration style, and impact on products and teams. Ask specific questions about projects mentioned in the interview process to verify the candidate's role and contributions. Pay particular attention to how the candidate works with cross-functional teams, handles feedback, and balances user needs with business requirements.

Best Practices:

Request references who have directly worked with the candidate in relevant roles
Ask for a mix of managers, peers, and direct reports (for senior roles)
Conduct at least 2-3 reference checks
Take detailed notes during the conversation
Listen for hesitations or qualifiers in the reference's responses
Compare information across references to identify patterns
Be alert to inconsistencies with what the candidate shared

Questions for Reference Checks

Could you describe your working relationship with [Candidate]? How long did you work together, and what was the context of your collaboration?

Guidance: Establish the reference's credibility and relationship with the candidate. Understand how closely they worked together and in what capacity to properly weight their feedback.

What were [Candidate]'s primary responsibilities when working with you, and how would you rate their overall performance?

Guidance: Verify the candidate's role and responsibilities. Listen for specific examples rather than generalities. Note whether the reference is enthusiastic or reserved in their assessment.

Can you tell me about a significant design project [Candidate] worked on? What was their specific contribution, and what was the impact?

Guidance: Validate the candidate's claims about their work and impact. Listen for details about their process, collaboration, and the results of their designs. Compare with projects the candidate discussed during interviews.

How would you describe [Candidate]'s design process? What are their strengths and areas for growth in this regard?

Guidance: Understand how the candidate approaches design challenges and whether their process is thorough and effective. Pay attention to mentions of user research, iteration, and validation methods.

How effectively does [Candidate] collaborate with cross-functional teams, particularly engineers and product managers?

Guidance: Assess the candidate's ability to work well with other disciplines, which is crucial for a Product Designer. Listen for examples of successful collaboration as well as any challenges.

How does [Candidate] respond to feedback or criticism of their designs? Can you provide an example?

Guidance: Evaluate the candidate's adaptability and growth mindset. Look for indications of openness to feedback and ability to incorporate it constructively.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire or work with [Candidate] again if you had the opportunity? Why?

Guidance: This direct question often reveals the reference's true feelings about the candidate. Anything below an 8 may warrant further investigation. The explanation is often more valuable than the number itself.

Reference Check Scorecard

Design Skills & Process

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates significant gaps in design skills or process
2: Reference suggests adequate but not exceptional design capabilities
3: Reference confirms strong design skills and effective process
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional design capabilities

Collaboration & Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference notes concerns about working with others or communication
2: Reference indicates satisfactory but not outstanding collaboration
3: Reference confirms effective collaboration across functions
4: Reference highlights exceptional collaborative abilities and communication skills

Impact & Results

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference cannot identify significant impact of candidate's work
2: Reference notes some positive outcomes but limited impact
3: Reference confirms meaningful impact on products and business
4: Reference enthusiastically describes exceptional impact and value creation

Growth & Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates resistance to feedback or difficulty adapting
2: Reference suggests reasonable adaptability but possible limitations
3: Reference confirms strong willingness to learn and adapt
4: Reference highlights exceptional growth mindset and adaptability

Likely to Design and Ship Features that Improve Key User Engagement Metrics

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Contribute to Building and Maintaining a Cohesive Design System

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Reduce User Errors Through Intuitive Interface Designs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Collaborate Effectively with Product and Engineering Teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Likely to Establish User Research Practices that Provide Actionable Insights

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I prepare for interviewing Product Designer candidates?

Familiarize yourself with the candidate's portfolio before the interview. Prepare questions that probe their design process rather than just the visual outcomes. Review the competencies in this guide and consider how your questions will help assess them. Think about real design challenges your team faces and how you might incorporate them into the conversation to gauge the candidate's approach.

What should I focus on when reviewing a candidate's portfolio?

Look beyond the visual aesthetics to understand the designer's process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Ask questions about the problem they were trying to solve, how they approached research, how they iterated on solutions, and what the results were. Pay attention to how they talk about collaborating with others and implementing their designs. Learn more about evaluating design work.

How can I best assess a candidate's collaboration skills during the interview?

Ask behavioral questions about past experiences working with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Listen for how candidates describe navigating disagreements, incorporating feedback, and building consensus. The cross-functional team interview is particularly valuable for assessing collaboration, as different team members can evaluate how the candidate would work with their function.

What's the best way to evaluate a candidate's technical understanding?

Focus on their ability to work within technical constraints and collaborate effectively with engineers. Ask about their experience with design handoff, their understanding of platform limitations, and how they've adapted designs based on technical feedback. Good designers don't need to be technical experts, but they should understand enough to create implementable designs and communicate effectively with engineering teams.

How should I balance evaluating visual design skills versus UX thinking?

Both are important, but their relative importance depends on your specific needs. For roles requiring strong visual identity work, portfolio review should assess visual craft. For all product design roles, focus on the candidate's problem-solving approach and user-centered thinking. The design exercise helps evaluate how they balance form and function in practice.

What if a candidate doesn't have experience in our specific industry?

Focus on transferable skills and their ability to learn quickly. Look for evidence of how they've adapted to new domains or complex products in the past. Pay attention to their curiosity about your industry and their approach to understanding new problem spaces. Often, a strong designer with fresh perspective can bring valuable insights from other industries.

How should we handle differences of opinion among interviewers during the debrief?

Encourage open discussion of differing perspectives, focusing on specific observations rather than general impressions. Ask interviewers to share concrete examples that informed their assessment. Consider whether concerns could be addressed through onboarding or mentorship. If significant differences remain, additional reference checks or a follow-up interview might help resolve uncertainty.