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Top 21 UX Interview Questions and Answers
While preparing for a job interview many UX designers focus their attention on the more technical questions related to their field. The reality is that product managers and hiring managers are looking for candidates who also possess soft skills, or the skills required to collaborate effectively and succeed in a team environment.
1. What Is Your Area of Focus — UX Researcher, UX Designer, or Visual Designer?
Out of all the UX interview questions you'll hear during your job search, this is one of the easiest to handle. You might be tempted to claim expertise in all three areas, however, that's the wrong answer. Focus on your greatest strength to ensure your passion comes across clearly. As an added bonus, discussing just one area of focus makes it easier to demonstrate that you researched the company and understand its needs.
2. How is UX Design different from UI Design?
The terms UI and UX are usually dumped together. What they really want to know is whether you really understand what UX Design is and what it isn’t.
A lot of companies have a combined UI/UX Design team. You need to be able to communicate the difference between the two very distinct roles. While the UI team makes sure the product is looking good, the UX team makes sure that the product is working effectively and efficiently.
You can also use this opportunity to talk about your previous experience of working with a UI team, the collaboration, and different roles.
A lot of companies have a combined UI/UX Design team. You need to be able to communicate the difference between the two very distinct roles. While the UI team makes sure the product is looking good, the UX team makes sure that the product is working effectively and efficiently.
You can also use this opportunity to talk about your previous experience of working with a UI team, the collaboration, and different roles.
3. Can you tell me why you chose a career in UX design?
As part of the design interview process, you may be asked to explain why you became a UX designer. This is your time to shine, especially if you're interviewing for an entry-level position. Your answer should convince the interviewer that you're a good UX designer who understands how to apply the principles of user experience design to every project. Make sure you address the following:
Empathy:
Make sure the interviewer understands that you excel at analyzing user needs and having empathy for the people who use your designs.Problem-solving skills:
UX design isn't just about design; it's also about helping users solve their biggest challenges. Your answer should demonstrate that you have excellent problem-solving skills.Time management skills:
Potential employers want to hire people who meet deadlines consistently. Make sure your answer convinces the interviewer of your ability to handle time-sensitive tasks.Curiosity
Impress the interviewer with an answer that demonstrates your willingness to stay on top of industry trends and use negative feedback to improve your designs.4. Can you tell me about yourself?
Many applicants, including UX designers, are confused by this question. The good news is that it's easy to answer. Just think of the recruiter asking you to explain what's in your resume. You don't have to recite your entire resume from memory, but you should provide an overview of your relevant work experience.
Be sure to provide information about your educational background or qualifications, internships, and/or previous UX designer jobs. You may also want to talk about your current job and why you’re considering a move. This is an opportunity to tell the interviewer why they should hire you.
Be sure to provide information about your educational background or qualifications, internships, and/or previous UX designer jobs. You may also want to talk about your current job and why you’re considering a move. This is an opportunity to tell the interviewer why they should hire you.
5. What are the important skills for a UX Designer?
1. Prototyping, user flows, wireframing, mockups
UX Designers need to be able to envision what the product will look like. According to the stage of the product development process, they’ll need to create wireframes, high or low-fidelity prototypes, user flows, or mockups.
2. Visual design and design software UX Designers need to use visual design software to create the visual design elements of a product. They need to be proficient in these tools along with knowing typography, color theory, icons, etc.
3. Collaboration UX Designers have to collaborate with other teams regularly. They need to know how to work as part of a team.
4. Communication and presentation While collaborating, UX Designers have to communicate. Good communication skills are important for them to be able to get better insights from customers as well. Good presentation skills are important to be able to communicate ideas with stakeholders.
2. Visual design and design software UX Designers need to use visual design software to create the visual design elements of a product. They need to be proficient in these tools along with knowing typography, color theory, icons, etc.
3. Collaboration UX Designers have to collaborate with other teams regularly. They need to know how to work as part of a team.
4. Communication and presentation While collaborating, UX Designers have to communicate. Good communication skills are important for them to be able to get better insights from customers as well. Good presentation skills are important to be able to communicate ideas with stakeholders.
6. Why did you choose UX Design?
It goes without saying that you chose UX Design because it excites you and you’re passionate about it. You need to answer this question with honesty and enthusiasm. Refrain from saying things like, “It seemed easy,” or, “It pays well”. That’s not what the interviewer wants to hear. You can answer this question by focusing on the qualities that make you a good UX Designer. You could talk about the following soft skills for example:
1. Problem-solving – You’re good at solving problems and you love finding creative ways to solve challenges.
2. Empathetic – You’re empathetic by nature and love understanding customer behavior.
3. Curious – You enjoy learning new things and being updated with new technological trends.
Visual elements – You can explain how you’ve always had an affinity toward visual design.
Storyboarding – You can also tell them about your passion for storyboarding.
Wireframing – You could also talk about how wireframing comes naturally to you and that you really enjoy it.
1. Problem-solving – You’re good at solving problems and you love finding creative ways to solve challenges.
2. Empathetic – You’re empathetic by nature and love understanding customer behavior.
3. Curious – You enjoy learning new things and being updated with new technological trends.
Visual elements – You can explain how you’ve always had an affinity toward visual design.
Storyboarding – You can also tell them about your passion for storyboarding.
Wireframing – You could also talk about how wireframing comes naturally to you and that you really enjoy it.
7. Show me your portfolio.
This is one of the most asked questions in a UX Designer interview. The interviewer doesn’t just want to see your portfolio, they want you to walk them through it. This helps them understand your creative process. You should tell the interviewer why you designed things the way you did. Explain the target market, the problem, and why did you choose the solution that you did.
8. Explain your design process.
The interviewer is interested in knowing about your thought process. They want to know your approach to the problem and also why did you use that particular approach. An important aspect to mention here would be research – how you conducted user interviews by yourself or via a team of UX researchers.
Take them through the design process – tell them what you chose to do and why. Don’t forget to talk about usability testing – how you got your design validated.
Take them through the design process – tell them what you chose to do and why. Don’t forget to talk about usability testing – how you got your design validated.
9. What’s your favorite project that you’ve worked on?
You would have included your favorite project in your UI UX portfolio. When you’re taking the interviewer through your portfolio, make sure you talk about your favorites and why you liked them.
Remember to explain why this project was different from others. Was it a personal project or maybe a passion project? Was it your favorite because it challenged you and made you approach the problem in an innovative way?
Remember to explain why this project was different from others. Was it a personal project or maybe a passion project? Was it your favorite because it challenged you and made you approach the problem in an innovative way?
10. What is your design inspiration?
When an interviewer asks you this question, they basically want to know that there’s something that motivates you and you are excited to keep learning.
You can talk about your favorite design blogs, magazines, etc. Following is a list of blogs you should follow if you don’t already:
1. UX Booth
2. Boxes and Arrows
3. Smashing Magazine
4. 52 Weeks of UX
You can talk about your favorite design blogs, magazines, etc. Following is a list of blogs you should follow if you don’t already:
1. UX Booth
2. Boxes and Arrows
3. Smashing Magazine
4. 52 Weeks of UX
11. How do you decide which features to add to your design?
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast
Experienced interview questions
This is your time to prove your expertise. Instead of giving short answers that lack detail, make sure the interviewer understands your depth of knowledge and ability to apply UX design principles under a variety of conditions.
12. Can I see your favorite project?
Be careful when you answer this question. Your favorite project may not be the one that's the most aesthetically pleasing or the best match for a potential employer's needs. To impress the interviewer, you need to pick a project that aligns with the company's typical design aesthetic.
Ask your design mentor or another UX designer to look through your portfolio, pick a favorite project, and explain why it's their favorite. If you're meeting with a recruiter from the HR department instead of someone from the UX design department, your interviewer may not have a design background. That's why it's a good idea to also ask a non-designer to review your portfolio and pick their favorite project.
Now you need to explain why the project you selected is your favorite. Tell a story about your design and provide enough detail to let the interviewer know you're capable of handling tough design challenges.
Ask your design mentor or another UX designer to look through your portfolio, pick a favorite project, and explain why it's their favorite. If you're meeting with a recruiter from the HR department instead of someone from the UX design department, your interviewer may not have a design background. That's why it's a good idea to also ask a non-designer to review your portfolio and pick their favorite project.
Now you need to explain why the project you selected is your favorite. Tell a story about your design and provide enough detail to let the interviewer know you're capable of handling tough design challenges.
13. Which design process did you adopt for these projects?
This is a direct question that requires a direct answer. The interviewer wants to know what you were thinking as you completed each project, along with why you made certain design decisions. As you go through your portfolio, explain the problems you were trying to solve and describe your approach to solving them. Your confidence in answering this question truly matters — showcase your expertise.
14. Can I see your portfolio?
The interviewer is going to want to see your UX design portfolio to make sure you have all the important skills you listed in your UX resume and UX cover letter. Rather than handing over your UX/UI design portfolio and staying silent, describe each UX project, explain your design methodology, and give the hiring manager insight into why you made certain design decisions.
For best results, prepare a UX design case study for each project. A case study makes it easier for hiring managers to understand how you approach design challenges. Make each case study more effective by including photos of your prototypes or screenshots of wireframes created in Figma or Adobe XD.
For best results, prepare a UX design case study for each project. A case study makes it easier for hiring managers to understand how you approach design challenges. Make each case study more effective by including photos of your prototypes or screenshots of wireframes created in Figma or Adobe XD.
15. What are some websites and apps that have great design?
Asking this question helps interviewers understand how you assess the work of other UX and UI designers. Rather than focusing purely on aesthetics, mention several aspects of each site's user interface and user experience. For example, you may want to point out that a site's information architecture makes it easy for users to complete certain tasks.
Your answer should show the interviewer that you understand the purpose of UX design and know how UX designers influence the success of a website or other digital product.
Your answer should show the interviewer that you understand the purpose of UX design and know how UX designers influence the success of a website or other digital product.
16. Tell me about a time when a project didn't go as planned. How did you fix it?
About 80% of interviewers ask candidates to tell them about a time something went wrong, so you definitely need to be prepared to answer this question. The best way to approach this question is to answer in a way that demonstrates your ability to stay calm and think logically when faced with a major challenge.
Be careful about the example you choose. If a problem occurred because you missed a deadline or made a design mistake, you don't want to draw attention to your error. Impress the interviewer by discussing a problem that occurred due to some outside influence, rather than something you did wrong.
Be careful about the example you choose. If a problem occurred because you missed a deadline or made a design mistake, you don't want to draw attention to your error. Impress the interviewer by discussing a problem that occurred due to some outside influence, rather than something you did wrong.
Questions about your workflow & process
Some interviewers want to know how you handle design projects. This gives them insight into how you're likely to handle their design work if you're hired for the job.
17. What kind of research method do you use for new projects?
Don't try to impress the interviewer by mentioning complex research methods you don't have any experience using. Be honest about your current approach. If you wish there was a better way to gather information, tell the interviewer. This demonstrates your ability to think critically and focus on continuous improvement.
18. How do you discover the needs of your users?
UX design focuses on creating user-friendly experiences, so you must understand the needs of your target audience before you make a single design decision. Be sure to explain your approach to user research, usability testing, and the development of user personas.
19. How do you choose the features of your designs?
This is another tricky question, as you have to show the hiring manager why your expertise is a good fit for their company's needs. To knock this one out of the park, start with an explanation of how it's important to set business goals based on the needs of buyers and other key stakeholders. Then dive into how it's important to adjust those goals as user needs change.
Once you provide some background information, explain how you go about analyzing user needs and making sure your UX design decisions align with them. Then explain how you consider a company's goals while making those same design decisions. Make sure your answer includes an explanation of how you sample the target market, discover their goals, and solve their problems with your designs.
Once you provide some background information, explain how you go about analyzing user needs and making sure your UX design decisions align with them. Then explain how you consider a company's goals while making those same design decisions. Make sure your answer includes an explanation of how you sample the target market, discover their goals, and solve their problems with your designs.
20. What inspires you to create your designs?
This question can be a bit tricky. You don't want to tell the interviewer that you base your designs on print publications or websites from a decade ago. Otherwise, they'll wonder if you produce outdated designs that aren't aligned with current trends. If you rely on any websites, blogs, podcasts, or magazines for inspiration, tell the interviewer about them.
It's also helpful to talk about design conferences you've attended or newsletters you read regularly. This shows the interviewer that you're committed to professional growth and willing to spend time staying on top of of changing trends. You can even discuss your favorite design books or summarize some of the discussions you've had with your design mentor.
It's also helpful to talk about design conferences you've attended or newsletters you read regularly. This shows the interviewer that you're committed to professional growth and willing to spend time staying on top of of changing trends. You can even discuss your favorite design books or summarize some of the discussions you've had with your design mentor.
21. What are the differences between UX design and other design disciplines?
If your interviewer asked the question above, they may follow up with this question about UX design versus other types of design. You don't need to provide too much detail, but be sure to explain how UX design focuses on usability. In contrast, graphic design focuses on visual appeal.
Don't worry if you think this answer is too short — it's exactly what the interviewer wants to hear. Hiring managers need to know that you understand the purpose of UX design and how it fits with other types of design in an organization. This is especially important if the potential employer has separate departments for UX design and UI design.
Don't worry if you think this answer is too short — it's exactly what the interviewer wants to hear. Hiring managers need to know that you understand the purpose of UX design and how it fits with other types of design in an organization. This is especially important if the potential employer has separate departments for UX design and UI design.
22. What is your definition of UX design?
Many UX designers, UI designers, product designers, and product managers struggle with this question. Just remember that the interviewer isn't asking you to provide the dictionary definition of UX design. They're asking you to explain the practical aspects of UX design based on your personal and professional experiences.
No matter what other information you provide, you must tell the interviewer that UX design is what makes websites, mobile apps, and other digital products easy to use. Then you can provide more detail about aesthetics, accessibility, and other aspects of UX design.
No matter what other information you provide, you must tell the interviewer that UX design is what makes websites, mobile apps, and other digital products easy to use. Then you can provide more detail about aesthetics, accessibility, and other aspects of UX design.
Questions about your behavior
Success in the UX design field isn't just about your design skills. You also need to work well with other team members, explain your ideas to non-design professionals, and respond appropriately to professional challenges. The questions below help interviewers determine whether you're a good fit for the organization and find out if it's possible for them to provide an environment in which you thrive as a UX designer.
23. What would you do if asked to hand over your project to a developer?
Interviewers ask this question to determine if you're territorial about your projects or have difficulty collaborating with other team members. It's common for UX designers to complete some aspects of a project and then hand everything over to a colleague. Therefore, you need to demonstrate that you're okay with handing over your projects, as long as they end up in good hands.
24. How do you handle critical or negative feedback?
Negative feedback is a fact of life, especially in a professional environment, so potential employers want to know that you can accept feedback gracefully and apply it to future projects. Let the interviewer know that you're always open to constructive criticism and use it to make better decisions.
It's also helpful to tell the interviewer that you'd rather get negative feedback from internal stakeholders than negative feedback from end users, as UX design is all about creating great user experiences. This reinforces your understanding of the UX design field.
It's also helpful to tell the interviewer that you'd rather get negative feedback from internal stakeholders than negative feedback from end users, as UX design is all about creating great user experiences. This reinforces your understanding of the UX design field.
25. What are your biggest strengths?
Here's where you can really sell yourself as the ideal candidate for the job. Just be careful not to describe strengths that have nothing to do with the job description. Whether you excel at interaction design or user research, make sure the skills you highlight are relevant to the potential employer's needs.
It's also a good idea to list a combination of hard and soft skills. Interviewers want to know that you have the soft skills necessary to collaborate effectively and explain your design decisions to people who don't necessarily have a design background.
It's also a good idea to list a combination of hard and soft skills. Interviewers want to know that you have the soft skills necessary to collaborate effectively and explain your design decisions to people who don't necessarily have a design background.
26. What are your weaknesses?
It's common to struggle with this question, as many UX designers don't want to hurt their chances of getting a job by pointing out a major weakness that could make it difficult to succeed in the advertised role. The key is to point out a weakness that can be turned into a strength.
For example, you might want to tell the interviewer that you struggle when you don't feel challenged by your work. Another option is to tell the interviewer that you get bored when you're not busy. You can neutralize these weaknesses by explaining everything you do to keep yourself busy and engaged, from experimenting with new design tools to tracking KPIs related to your UX design work.
For example, you might want to tell the interviewer that you struggle when you don't feel challenged by your work. Another option is to tell the interviewer that you get bored when you're not busy. You can neutralize these weaknesses by explaining everything you do to keep yourself busy and engaged, from experimenting with new design tools to tracking KPIs related to your UX design work.
Questions about your goals
When an interviewer asks about your goals, they're trying to determine how you might fit in with the big picture. Even if the company is hiring a UX designer now, they may be looking for someone who's willing to stick around and take on a senior role later. This helps them understand if your professional goals align with the company's goals.
27. Why are you passionate about this position?
It costs a lot of money to advertise a job opening, screen applications, and conduct multiple interviews. Hiring managers don't want to go through all this effort if they're going to end up hiring someone who leaves the company after a few months. An interviewer wants to know you're passionate about the job and unlikely to leave right away.
This isn't the time to talk about the salary or tell the interviewer you're interested in perks. Instead, talk specifically about how the job description matches your career goals. Let them know you're excited to work with a design team that has a great reputation in the industry. Explain how you plan to add value to the business if you land the job. If you're passionate about the role, you'll have a slight edge over a less enthusiastic candidate, even if they have a little more experience than you do.
This isn't the time to talk about the salary or tell the interviewer you're interested in perks. Instead, talk specifically about how the job description matches your career goals. Let them know you're excited to work with a design team that has a great reputation in the industry. Explain how you plan to add value to the business if you land the job. If you're passionate about the role, you'll have a slight edge over a less enthusiastic candidate, even if they have a little more experience than you do.
28. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
No one knows exactly where they'll be in a few years, but you should have some idea about how you see your UX design career progressing. Your answer to this question should have several parts. First, explain why you got into UX design and what you hope to accomplish in your first year if hired for the job.
Next, explain how you plan to increase your knowledge and gain new skills. If you plan to go back to school for an advanced degree or specialize in a particular area of UX design, tell the interviewer. Finally, let the interviewer know you're interested in growing with the company and making sure your goals align with the overall goals of the business.
Next, explain how you plan to increase your knowledge and gain new skills. If you plan to go back to school for an advanced degree or specialize in a particular area of UX design, tell the interviewer. Finally, let the interviewer know you're interested in growing with the company and making sure your goals align with the overall goals of the business.
