Application and Screening Phase

The application and screening phase begins with your portfolio, which serves as your first opportunity to demonstrate your design thinking. Your portfolio should tell compelling stories about your projects, not just show final designs. For each project, consider structuring the narrative around the problem you were solving, your research approach, the iterations you went through, and the measurable impact of your solution.

For example, if you redesigned a feature, explain how you identified user pain points, what research methods you used to valipublishDate assumptions, and how your solution improved key metrics.

Initial Phone Screen

The initial phone screen with the recruiter goes beyond just discussing your experience. When explaining your design thinking process, use specific examples that demonstrate how you balance user needs with business goals.

You might describe a situation where you needed to redesign a complex workflow - explain how you first understood the existing user journey, identified pain points through research, and iteratively developed solutions while gathering feedback from stakeholders.

Technical Interview’s Design Challenges

The technical interview’s design challenges require a structured approach to problem-solving. Let’s consider how you might handle a common challenge: improving the onboarding experience for a Microsoft product. You would want to:

1. Frame the problem by asking clarifying questions:

   • Who are the primary users?
   • What metrics define success?
   • What constraints exist?

2. Outline your research approach:

   • How would you gather data about current pain points?
   • What methods would you use to understand user expectations?

3. Demonstrate your ideation process:

   • Start with quick sketches to explore different directions.
   • Explain your thinking as you iterate.
   • Show how you’d valipublishDate assumptions with users.

4. Discuss implementation considerations:

   • How would you work with engineers to ensure technical feasibility?
   • How would you measure success?

Behavioral Interviews

The behavioral interviews assess your ability to navigate complex design challenges within teams. When discussing collaboration with cross-functional teams, provide specific examples that show how you’ve handled different perspectives.

For instance, you might describe a situation where you had to balance competing priorities between user experience and technical constraints. Explain how you facilitated discussions, used data to inform decisions, and ultimately reached a solution that satisfied both user needs and technical requirements.

Design Exercise Portion

The design exercise portion requires you to think aloud while solving problems. When approaching a whiteboarding exercise, establish a clear structure:

1. Restate the problem and ask clarifying questions
2. Outline your approach before diving into solutions
3. Show your work process, including how you might valipublishDate assumptions
4. Explain trade-offs in your decisions
5. Discuss how you would measure success