What are the most common questions asked in UX Design job interviews? And what are the ideal responses to them? Read on to learn everything you need to know.
If you’re a UX designer applying for a new job, a surefire way of preparing for interviews is to familiarize yourself with the UX designer interview questions you’re likely to be asked on the day. This will ensure you have some solid and insightful answers to hand when the time comes, and it’ll build, and demonstrate, your confidence.
In this article, we’ll take you through some of the most commonly asked UX interview questions and how you can answer them. Whether you’re going for a UX researcher position, a senior UX designer role, or one of the many other exciting and rewarding job titles in this fast-moving industry; be ready to answer these UX designer interview questions and you’ll be landing your next role in no time.
Let’s get started!
Here’s a clickable list of what we’ll be covering in this article, so you can jump to the section that interests you the most:
Contents:
- 1) Tell us about yourself and how you got into UX
- 2) What’s the difference between UI and UX design?
- 3) What changes would you make to our product/service to improve its UX?
- 4) What attracted you to the role/company?
- 5) Talk me through a project in your portfolio
- 6) Tell us about a challenge you faced at work and how you overcame it
- 7) What is your design process? Describe the design methods that you follow.
- 8) How do you conduct user research?
- 9) Tell us about a successful collaboration you’ve been a part of
- 10) What inspires you professionally?
- 11) Where do you see yourself on the UX designer spectrum? Eg., researcher, UX designer, information architect, UX strategist, visual designer…
- 12) Tell us about a project which didn’t go to plan and how you rectified it
- 13) What is your approach to accessibility in design?
Question 1: Tell us about yourself and how you got into UX
This is a popular opening question for a UX design job interview. The purpose of it is for the interviewer to get an idea of your passion for your chosen career and your experience so far. However, this isn’t just about your UX background. As the introductory question to the interview, the interviewer is also trying to get a feel for your personality and interests. They’ll be using the information you provide to see if you’re a good “cultural fit” for the design team and for the company as a whole. When talking about yourself, try not to focus too heavily on the personal; instead, use your experiences both in and out of the workplace to demonstrate why you’re the best person for this role.
When it comes to how you got into UX design, use this moment to show your enthusiasm and passion for your chosen career. You could mention a colleague who inspired you or a particular work project that sparked your interest in UX. You might also want to talk about some of the soft and hard skills you possess that made you realize you’d be a great fit for this career choice. Perhaps you’re well-organized and empathetic, or you love creative problem-solving and overcoming difficult challenges. Whatever your reasons for getting into UX design, be honest and authentic. Use this question to demonstrate your genuine interest in the field.
Purpose of the question: The interviewer wants to see your passion for UX and if you’re a cultural fit for the team
Tip: Be authentic while demonstrating genuine interest
Question 2: What’s the difference between UI and UX design?
This is a question designed to establish that you know exactly what UX is and, crucially, what it is not. Start with a standard definition, such as: while user interface design (UI design) refers to the visual elements a user interacts with when using an app or a website, such as buttons and icons, user experience design (UX design) refers to a user’s entire experience with a product or service.
A first-class candidate will elaborate further on the theme, highlighting that while UX design is concerned with the whole spectrum of a person’s interaction with a product and how a user feels about it, UI design is just one of the disciplines that come under the umbrella term of ‘UX’ alongside other disciplines such as user research, information architecture, and usability testing.
Although you won't be expected to be an expert in UI design, it’s highly likely your potential employer will expect you to be able to work closely with UI designers, so see this as an opportunity to demonstrate not only your understanding of UI design and how it differs from UX , but also how the two disciplines can and do work together.
Purpose of the question: The interviewer wants to know you’re clear on exactly what UX is (and isn’t) and what would be expected of you in this role
Tip: Give examples of how UI and UX designers work together to create solutions
Question 3: What changes would you make to our product/service to improve its UX?
When your interviewer presents you with this question, the chances are they’re looking to see a) how much research you’ve done into the company prior to your interview, and b) the value you will bring to the company if hired.
While it can feel a little daunting discussing the brand’s positives and negatives in front of company bosses and employees, it’s important to see this question as an opportunity. Although it would not be wise to launch into a full-scale attack on the brand’s UX, you can use this moment to talk about what you like about the company and its products, beginning with what’s working really well.
From this starting point, you can provide a few examples of things that, in your view, could be optimized for a better user experience. You might mention the UX of direct competitors, or bring in examples from previous companies you’ve worked for. Once you’ve highlighted areas for improvement, you should then explain the research and work processes you might implement to bring about the suggested changes, and the results you would hope to see from these improvements.
Purpose of the question: The interviewer wants to see that you’ve researched the company and its products
Tip: Try to focus on what currently works well, and what, with your help and expertise, could work even better
Question 4: What attracted you to the role/company?
You’ll come across this question in pretty much every job interview you ever have, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth preparing for. Similarly to the previous UX designer interview questions, undertaking significant research into the company will play a key role in how well you’re able to answer this question. The interviewer not only wants to see what you’ve learned about the company, its history, and its success stories; they also want you to elaborate on where you see yourself within the team and what contribution you might provide going forward.
Try to be specific when you answer this question; a vague answer might make it appear as though you’ve not read up on the company beforehand. If you’re impressed by the current UX of the website, or you’ve heard great things about the company culture, now’s the time to mention it. Perhaps you’re already a customer or fan of their product and would love the opportunity to be part of the team that creates it. Or maybe the brand’s marketing has blown you away with its creativity and design.
If it’s a small startup, you might like to mention that you’re excited to be joining something at the start of its journey where you can learn a lot, have your ideas heard, and get involved in multiple areas. If it’s a large company, you might have been drawn to its impressive reputation, its impact, and the stability that comes with working for an established corporation.
Purpose of the question: This question is about demonstrating your desire to work for the company and the research you’ve done for the role
Tip: Be as specific as possible: mention team leads you’d be excited to work with, or campaigns you’ve admired
Question 5: Talk me through a project in your portfolio
A professional portfolio is an absolute necessity for every UX designer, and it’s highly likely your potential employer will expect to see yours during the interview. Although it can be challenging explaining a project to someone who was not involved in it, you can prepare for this in advance by practicing with friends or family as well as setting up a UX portfolio to provide as much context as possible.
Try to practice this question with both those familiar with UX design and those who know nothing about the field. Depending on the stage you’re at in the interview process, your interviewer may not have any UX design expertise, in which case answering this question is an opportunity for them to assess your communication skills. If the interviewer is in the UX design team, they’ll probably want to see you explain and defend your work processes as this gives them an idea of how you approach challenges and define success.
If you don't yet have a portfolio in place and would like to work on projects that will help you build one, think about enrolling in our PG Diploma in UX UI course, which will enable you to have an industry-ready portfolio by the end of the course. Look at the UX UI project that Aromal Jose Baby completed during the duration of the course.
Purpose of the question: This question is about demonstrating your excellent communication skills and explaining how you work
Tip: Practice with UX professionals and non-UXers
Question 6: Tell us about a challenge you faced at work and how you overcame it
Although this is a common interview question in fields including and beyond UX design, this is a great opportunity for you to discuss how you used your UX design skills and process to solve a user challenge.
To begin, walk the interviewer through a user problem you came across in a previous position. Perhaps users were dropping off when it came to the checkout page of the website, or warm leads weren’t converting after opening a series of nurturing emails.
Start with how you discovered the problem before outlining your problem-solving, research, and discovery techniques, such as user interviews, surveys, focus groups, card sorting, and usability testing.
Try to be transparent about any additional challenges you faced while trying to solve the issue and any other discoveries you made in the process. You could also discuss your colleagues' input and reactions to your ideas, and how different colleagues or even teams worked together to bring about the best result.
Next, explain the solution you went with and its rate of success, highlighting any additional tweaks you needed to make once it was implemented. Finally, you can summarize your answer with what you learned from the whole process and the ways in which this particular challenge affected how you addressed future stumbling blocks and user issues.
Purpose of the question: This question is designed to see how you handle difficult situations
Tip: You can use this question to highlight a specific user problem you solved
Question 7: What is your design process? Describe the design methods that you follow.
Although UX principles are universal, every UX designer works slightly differently, often prioritizing their preferred UX methods and practices. This question is designed to give the interviewer an insight into your thought processes and preferences but, crucially, your answer should also demonstrate how you use your critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills to overcome challenges, innovate, and improve the user’s experience.
You can answer this question in general terms if you like, walking the interviewer through your typical design process. However, most design leads are aware that different approaches are needed for different design problems, and you’re more likely to impress by talking about the specifics of a real (and successful) project you worked on, going into detail about your deep end-to-end design process and decision making, than oversimplifying your process with a general answer. Outline your range of research methods, your design process, the teamwork involved at each stage, and how you validated your decisions throughout. Consider supporting your discussion with your portfolio if you have it to hand.
Purpose of the question: This question is designed to provide the interviewer with a window into your critical thinking, teamwork, and problem–solving processes
Tip: Avoid answering in general terms. Walk the interviewer through a specific project which shows your design process in action
Question 8: How do you conduct user research?
User research is an integral part of the UX design process and it’s how most UX designers validate and support their design decisions for a new product, feature, or website design. The interviewer is keen to know your familiarity with different types of research methods and your preferences for one type over another depending on the project at hand.
You can answer this question by discussing a previous project and the research method that worked best in that particular situation, or you can discuss how different methods complement different types of projects. You might want to give a short rundown of the pros and cons of each method and how you use that to decide which method to use in any given situation.
Purpose of the question: This question is designed to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your UX knowledge but also show your preferred work methods
Tip: Show the interviewer that despite certain preferences, you’re aware of the limitations as well as the benefits of certain research techniques
Question 9: Tell us about a successful collaboration you’ve been a part of
The UX design process is almost always a collaborative one. You’ll typically work with other types of designers such as UI and graphic designers, in addition to researchers, end users, developers, product managers, and project managers to bring about the best experiences for a brand’s target user.
With collaboration playing such an integral role in the design process, this question is designed to give the interviewer an idea of how well you work with others. They’ll want to know that, should you come to work for the company, you’ll be receptive to the ideas and experiences of other team members, and that you’ll be able to build a relationship of collaboration and trust within your team.
To answer this question, provide an example of a project you worked on that involved stakeholders from varying departments or fields. Demonstrate how you dealt with conflicting opinions and incorporated different ideas into the final outcome, and consider discussing how you managed difficult team members or resolved challenging situations that occurred over the course of the design process.
When answering this question, it’s important to specify what role you played in the team. Were you leading the team or were you being managed by someone more senior? If the role you’re applying for is a leadership role but you’ve not yet held such a senior position, be clear about some of the leadership traits you demonstrated in the past and how, thanks to this experience, you feel ready to take on more responsibility going forward.
Purpose of the question: To find out how well you work with others
Tip: Demonstrate how you resolved a conflict of opinions
Question 10: What inspires you professionally?
If this question comes up in your UX design interview, its goal is likely to be to uncover how passionate you are about your chosen career and how committed you are to continued learning and growth. An interviewer is looking for a long-term commitment from their UX designer and will be hoping to hire someone who is heavily invested in evolving with the industry.
While this question is a great opportunity to talk about your UX design heroes–the brands and teams who create work that inspires your own practices–it’s also a chance for you to discuss current industry and user trends. In doing so, you’ll demonstrate your commitment to staying ahead of what’s popular with users of different demographics. You might want to mention a course you’ve taken recently to keep your skills up to date or a webinar you attended that delved into new theories in Design Thinking.
Consider:
- Referencing a design magazine you subscribe to and a recent article that inspired you
- Mentioning a blog you follow religiously for trends in user behavior and the latest digital tools
- Hailing the work of a design influencer who helped shape a recent project you worked on
Purpose of the question: This question is designed for the interviewer to get a sense of your commitment to and investment in this career
Tip: Mention your top tips for the next biggest trends in UX design
Question 11: Where do you see yourself on the UX designer spectrum? Eg., researcher, UX designer, information architect, UX strategist, visual designer…
As you’re probably already aware, there’s a whole host of different positions available in the field of UX right now, and the meaning behind each job title can vary widely from company to company . At a startup, for example, a UX designer might be expected to perform the whole UX design process alone, from identifying user challenges to performing research to conducting tests, to implementing a solution. In a large corporation, on the other hand, a whole team of UX professionals–strategists, researchers, information architects, usability testers–would conduct each part of the process in accordance with their particular skill set and experience.
When heading into your interview, be clear in your mind about the role you’re applying for and do some research into the UX resources a company of that size is likely to have. You should be applying for a role that suits your skill set and experience, and you’ll want to be clear when answering this question about where exactly you sit on the UX designer spectrum. If you’re applying for a role that doesn’t quite match your experience, be transparent; explain that although your previous roles have been largely focused on one area, you’d like to branch out into another. You can then describe the transferable UX skills you’ve acquired that would enable you to do that.
Purpose of the question: They want to know where your UX experience lies
Tip: Research the company beforehand to get an idea of the size of the team and its resources
Question 12: Tell us about a project which didn’t go to plan and how you rectified it
The interviewer is hoping to hear about your communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills when asking this question. Although it might be tempting to fabricate a story, it’s important to be honest.
Describe a project which was failing to meet expectations, bearing the following points in mind:
- Focus on what you learned from the experience
- Tell the interviewer what you would do differently next time to avoid it happening again
- Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate how you personally define success, and how the project did or did not meet that definition
- Explain how the process didn’t work for that particular project and the tweaks it would need to work better
- Concentrate on the skills you used to turn the project around, such as communication and collaboration
- Frame the situation as an obstacle rather than a problem, before describing how you overcame that obstacle
Purpose of the question: The interviewer wants to know about your creative problem-solving skills
Tip: Highlight your key takeaways from the challenge
Question 13: What is your approach to accessibility in design?
Digital products which are accessible to every one make a huge impact on a brand’s success. For this reason, your interviewer is looking to see how experienced you are at designing for those with accessibility issues, and that you ensure accessibility is prioritized in your UX design process.
To answer this question, you might mention that you follow the World Wide Web Consortium’s ‘Web Content Accessibility Guidelines’, or discuss the regularity with which you have performed accessibility analyses on your previous projects. Highlight your learnings and biggest takeaways from these analyses and how what you learned will lead you to improve upon your process for the betterment of future designs.
Another important element in accessibility is testing. Testing takes on a more significant role in this context as a designer could easily not recognize elements of their design that a disabled person might be hindered or affected by. Discuss how you have approached testing with accessibility in mind in the past, and mention the innovative or creative measures you took to enable everybody access to a product or feature.
Examples of ways designs can be made more accessible include:
- Voiceover commands for the navigation of websites
- Adding subtitles or captions to videos
- Enabling large print text on a webpage
Purpose of the question: They want to know that accessibility and inclusivity are priorities to you
Tip: Provide examples of creative ways you have improved accessibility and inclusivity
Summary
We hope you’ve enjoyed our run-through of some of the most common UX designer interview questions and gained some powerful insights into how to make the best impression during your interview. Remember: preparation is key! Try to do as much research into the company, its products, its team, and its history as you can before the interview day, and have a professional portfolio of work ready to share with your potential new employer in order to stand out from the competition.
If, on the other hand, you need a refresher on UX design, or feel that you must upskill further before putting your skills to the test in a UX job interview, here are some resources that you may find helpful:
- Watch this session by Shiva Viswanathan, Design Head of Ogilvy Pennywise, and Naman Singh, Product Experience Designer at RED.
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Pursue our UX UI Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.
- Take advantage of our scholarship and funding options to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
