5 Interaction Designer Interview Questions and Answers

Introduction

This question assesses your ability to balance user needs with business goals, a critical skill for a Principal Interaction Designer who must often bridge these two areas.

How to answer

• Use the STAR method to structure your response: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
• Clearly describe the project and the specific business constraints you faced.
• Explain your approach to advocating for user-centered design, including how you communicated with stakeholders.
• Discuss the outcome and how it impacted both user experience and business objectives.
• Share any lessons learned that could apply to future projects.

What not to say

• Blaming others for not understanding the importance of design.
• Failing to mention specific strategies you used to advocate for design.
• Only focusing on the difficulties without highlighting your contributions.
• Not addressing how you resolved any conflicts that arose.

Example answer

“In my role at Adobe, I worked on a mobile app redesign that faced pressure to reduce development time. I organized workshops with stakeholders to demonstrate how user-centered design could enhance retention. By presenting data on user engagement and demonstrating quick prototypes, I secured buy-in for essential features. Ultimately, the app saw a 30% increase in user satisfaction, validating the importance of user advocacy.”

Introduction

This question assesses your ability to navigate stakeholder relationships while championing user-centered design principles, a critical skill for a Lead Interaction Designer.

How to answer

• Use the STAR method to structure your response: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
• Clearly explain the project context and the conflicting interests involved.
• Detail the strategies you employed to advocate for user needs, such as presenting user research data or usability testing results.
• Highlight your communication techniques in addressing stakeholders' concerns.
• Quantify the positive outcomes of your advocacy on the project or user experience.

What not to say

• Focusing solely on the technical aspects of design without mentioning user needs.
• Neglecting to discuss how you addressed stakeholder concerns.
• Claiming total success without acknowledging any challenges faced.
• Avoiding specifics about the project or the stakeholders involved.

Example answer

“In my role at BBVA, I led a redesign of our mobile banking app. Stakeholders were primarily focused on adding features, which conflicted with our user research showing that users needed a simpler interface. I organized a workshop where I presented usability testing results, demonstrating how fewer features could enhance user satisfaction. As a result, we implemented a streamlined design that increased user engagement by 30% and received positive feedback from clients.”

Introduction

This question helps evaluate your ability to integrate user-centered design principles with business goals, which is crucial for a Senior Interaction Designer.

How to answer

• Begin by outlining the project context and its importance
• Explain the user needs you identified and how they were gathered
• Discuss the business objectives that needed to be met
• Describe the design solutions you implemented to balance both aspects
• Quantify the outcomes and how they benefited users and the business

What not to say

• Focusing solely on user needs without considering business impact
• Neglecting to mention how you gathered user insights
• Using jargon without explaining design decisions clearly
• Failing to present measurable results or feedback

Example answer

“At Atlassian, I worked on a project to redesign our project management tool. We conducted user interviews to understand frustrations, which highlighted the need for better task visibility. Balancing this with our goal to increase user adoption, I introduced a dashboard feature that provided real-time updates. This led to a 30% increase in user engagement and a 15% boost in overall productivity.”

Introduction

This question assesses your ability to integrate user-centered design with business objectives, which is crucial for an Interaction Designer.

How to answer

• Use the STAR method to frame your response: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
• Clearly outline the project context and the conflicting needs of users and the business.
• Detail your design process and how you prioritized user feedback while considering business constraints.
• Explain the final outcome and how it benefited both users and the business.
• Highlight any metrics or user feedback that demonstrate the success of your design.

What not to say

• Ignoring business objectives and focusing solely on user needs.
• Failing to explain your design process or decision-making.
• Neglecting to mention how your design impacted the business positively.
• Providing vague examples without specific outcomes.

Example answer

“In my role at Zomato, we redesigned the restaurant discovery feature. Initially, users wanted more filtering options, while the business aimed for a simplified interface to drive ad placements. By conducting user interviews and usability testing, I proposed a hybrid solution: a streamlined interface with expandable filter options. This design increased user engagement by 30% and ad revenue by 20%, showing that we could balance user needs with business goals effectively.”

Introduction

This question assesses your understanding of user-centered design and your ability to communicate its importance to stakeholders, which is vital for an interaction designer.

How to answer

• Start by outlining the project context and the stakeholders involved
• Explain the user-centered design principles you advocated for
• Detail how you communicated these principles to others
• Share any resistance you faced and how you overcame it
• Highlight the positive outcomes resulting from your advocacy

What not to say

• Failing to mention specific user-centered design principles
• Describing a project where you didn’t influence decisions
• Overlooking the importance of collaboration with stakeholders
• Being vague about the project's outcomes or impacts

Example answer

“In my internship at a local startup, I worked on a mobile app for food delivery. I noticed the initial designs didn't prioritize user feedback. I organized a workshop to educate the team on user-centered design principles, emphasizing usability testing. Although some team members were skeptical, I presented user research data that demonstrated how improved usability could enhance customer satisfaction. Ultimately, we integrated user feedback into the design, leading to a 30% increase in user engagement post-launch.”