Principal Product Designer | Consumer Ads Team Interview Experience at Microsoft

I recently went through the interview process for the Principal Product Designer position on the Consumer Ads team at Microsoft, and I’d like to share my experience. This role focuses on designing compelling, user-friendly, and effective ad experiences for consumers across Microsoft’s advertising platforms. The position requires a mix of user-centered design, data-driven decision making, and the ability to collaborate with engineering, marketing, and product teams. Here’s a breakdown of the interview process, what you can expect, and some key lessons learned.

1. Overview of the Interview Process

The interview process for this role was multi-phased and focused on assessing both my design expertise and my strategic thinking around advertising products. The process was structured around:

• Initial Screening
• Portfolio Review
• Phone Interviews
• Onsite Interviews
• Final Round with Leadership

Initial Screening Call

The process began with a screening call from a recruiter. This was a high-level conversation to assess my fit for the role, discuss my experience in consumer-facing design, particularly in advertising, and understand my interest in working at Microsoft. The recruiter also explained the team’s focus and the specific challenges they face in consumer ads.

• Example Question: “Can you walk me through a project where you designed an advertising experience? What was the primary goal, and how did you approach the design?”

Portfolio Review

The next step was a portfolio review with a Senior Designer on the team. I was asked to walk through a few key projects, particularly those that demonstrated my experience in designing for advertising, user engagement, and performance optimization. I was asked to explain the design process, the goals of the projects, and how I balanced user experience with business objectives such as ad effectiveness.

• Example Question: “Can you show us a project where you worked on an ad product that required balancing user engagement with revenue generation? How did you ensure both objectives were met?”

Phone Interviews

After the portfolio review, I had two phone interviews:

Design Focused Interview:

This interview focused on problem-solving and advertising design thinking. I was given a design challenge related to consumer ads, where I needed to design an ad format or an improvement to an existing ad experience. The interviewer wanted to understand my approach to user experience, interaction design, and usability in the context of advertisements.

• Example Question: “Imagine Microsoft is launching a new native ad format for users in Outlook. How would you design the ad experience to ensure that it is non-intrusive yet engaging for users?”

Behavioral Interview:

The second interview was behavioral and focused on my experience working with cross-functional teams (product managers, engineers, marketers) and how I handle complex projects. I was asked how I managed conflicts, collaborated on cross-team initiatives, and how I influenced design decisions.

• Example Question: “Tell me about a time when you had to work closely with an engineering team to implement an ad feature. How did you ensure the design vision was maintained while balancing technical constraints?”

Onsite Interviews

The onsite was the most intensive part of the process, consisting of multiple rounds:

Design Challenge (Whiteboarding):

During the onsite, I was given a live design challenge where I was asked to conceptualize a new advertising feature or redesign an existing one. The challenge was interactive, and I was expected to think aloud, sharing my design decisions and showing how I arrived at solutions. The focus was on both the user experience and how my design would drive advertising effectiveness.

• Example Challenge: “Design a mobile in-feed ad for Microsoft’s news app. How would you ensure that the ad is engaging, doesn’t disrupt the user experience, and performs well in terms of click-through rates (CTR)?”

Portfolio Deep Dive:

In this round, the interviewers asked me to dive deeper into specific projects from my portfolio. They wanted to understand the metrics I used to measure ad effectiveness, how I iterated on designs based on user feedback, and how I ensured that ads were well-integrated within the overall product experience.

• Example Question: “Can you explain how you measured the success of a past advertising feature you designed? How did you use user feedback and data to refine your design?”

Cross-functional Collaboration:

This interview assessed how I work with cross-functional teams to implement designs. Since advertising products often require input from many different areas (marketing, product management, engineering), the focus was on how I collaborate and ensure alignment on ad product goals.

• Example Question: “Describe a situation where you worked with a product manager and an engineer to launch a feature. How did you manage the feedback loop and ensure that all stakeholders were aligned on the final design?”

Leadership & Strategy Interview:

As a Principal Designer, leadership and strategic thinking were key. This round was focused on understanding how I lead design initiatives, mentor other designers, and influence the direction of an ad product portfolio. I was asked how I would define a long-term design strategy for the Consumer Ads team and ensure that the team is aligned with Microsoft’s overall business objectives.

• Example Question: “How would you define a design strategy for a long-term ad product across multiple Microsoft platforms (e.g., Xbox, Bing, Microsoft Edge)? How would you ensure consistency and effectiveness?”

Final Round with Leadership

The final round was a conversation with senior leadership. The focus here was on how I would contribute to Microsoft’s vision for advertising, lead strategic initiatives, and impact the broader consumer experience. This was more about cultural fit, leadership, and whether my long-term vision aligned with the Microsoft Ads strategy.

• Example Question: “How do you see the future of consumer advertising at Microsoft? What innovative ideas or strategies would you bring to the team to help Microsoft’s advertising products stand out in the competitive landscape?”

2. Key Topics Covered in the Interview

The interview focused on several key areas relevant to the Principal Product Designer | Consumer Ads role:

Ad Product Design and User Experience

The role is focused on designing engaging and effective advertising experiences for consumers. Much of the interview was focused on how I think about user experience in the context of ads and how I balance ad effectiveness with user engagement and non-intrusiveness.

Metrics and Data-Driven Design

As advertising is heavily data-driven, the interviewers wanted to understand how I use metrics (e.g., CTR, conversion rates, user engagement) to inform and iterate on my design decisions. I was asked to demonstrate how I measure ad success and use user data to refine ad experiences.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Given that advertising products at Microsoft often involve cross-team collaboration, much of the interview focused on how I work with product managers, engineers, and marketing teams. The interviewers wanted to see my ability to align stakeholders with design goals and work together to launch successful advertising features.

Leadership and Strategic Thinking

As a Principal Designer, leadership and strategic thinking were crucial. I was asked about my experience in leading design projects, mentoring designers, and how I would influence ad product strategies that drive growth across Microsoft’s platforms.

3. Example Interview Questions

Design Process:

• “How would you design a reward system for users engaging with ads on Microsoft Edge? What would you prioritize in terms of user experience and ad effectiveness?”
• “How do you ensure that native ads blend seamlessly into an app’s UI without disrupting the overall user experience?”

Metrics and Data-Driven Design:

• “How do you use A/B testing or user feedback to iterate on ad designs? Can you give an example where you improved ad performance through design iterations?”
• “How would you design an ad unit that optimizes for both user engagement and revenue generation? What metrics would you focus on?”

Behavioral and Leadership:

• “Tell me about a time when you had to drive design decisions in a cross-functional team with competing priorities. How did you navigate the challenges?”
• “How do you ensure the design vision is maintained when working with other teams like engineering and marketing?”

4. Preparation Tips

Understand Microsoft’s Ads Ecosystem

Research how Microsoft’s ads integrate across products like Bing, Microsoft Edge, and Xbox. Be familiar with their consumer ad products and how they focus on user engagement and advertising effectiveness.

Design for Ads

Prepare for questions related to ad product design, particularly in terms of balancing user experience with ad effectiveness. Think about how you design for engagement while avoiding intrusiveness.

Metrics and Iteration

Be prepared to discuss how you use data and user feedback to measure and iterate on your designs. Familiarize yourself with key advertising metrics like CTR, conversion rates, and engagement rates.