Principal Product Designer | Microsoft Rewards Team Interview Experience

I recently interviewed for the Principal Product Designer role on the Microsoft Rewards Team and would like to share my experience. This role focuses on creating intuitive, engaging, and impactful user experiences for the Microsoft Rewards program, which integrates across various Microsoft products and services. The position requires expertise in UX/UI design, strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and design leadership. Here’s a breakdown of the interview process, key topics covered, and examples of questions I faced.

1. Overview of the Interview Process

The interview process for the Principal Product Designer | Microsoft Rewards Team role was rigorous, multi-phased, and focused on both design expertise and leadership skills. The stages included an initial screening, portfolio review, design challenges, and interviews with cross-functional teams, followed by leadership interviews.

Initial Screening Call

The process began with a phone screening with the recruiter. The recruiter asked about my background in product design, specifically my experience with designing for consumer-facing products and loyalty programs like Microsoft Rewards. We also discussed my experience working on cross-platform design, especially across mobile and web apps.

• Example Question: “Tell me about your experience working on consumer-facing products. How do you balance user needs with business objectives, especially when designing a rewards system?”

Portfolio Review

The next step was a portfolio review with a Senior Designer on the Microsoft Rewards team. I was asked to walk through a few key projects from my portfolio, with a focus on work that involved consumer engagement, user retention, and gamification. The interviewer was particularly interested in understanding my design process, how I approached user research, and how I iterated on designs based on feedback and metrics.

• Example Question: “Can you walk us through a project where you designed a gamified experience or rewards system? What challenges did you face, and how did you measure success?”

Phone Interviews

Following the portfolio review, I had two phone interviews, which were focused on design thinking, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration.

Design Thinking Interview:

This interview focused on my approach to problem-solving, particularly in the context of designing engaging user experiences for Microsoft Rewards. The interviewer asked a design challenge related to building out a new feature for the Rewards program, evaluating how I would prioritize features and create a seamless user flow.

• Example Question: “Design a new rewards redemption flow for a user who has accumulated a significant number of points. How would you ensure it’s user-friendly, visually appealing, and aligned with the overall Rewards ecosystem?”

Behavioral Interview:

This interview explored my leadership and collaboration skills. I was asked how I’ve managed complex design projects, worked with cross-functional teams (product managers, engineers, marketers), and handled conflicts or differing opinions during the design process. Microsoft places a strong emphasis on leadership at all levels, so the interviewer was keen to assess how I handle influence, negotiation, and team dynamics.

• Example Question: “Tell me about a time when you led a design project with a cross-functional team. How did you align the team on design decisions, and how did you navigate conflicting priorities?”

Onsite Interviews

The onsite was the most comprehensive part of the interview process and consisted of multiple rounds:

Design Challenge (Whiteboarding):

I was given a design challenge where I had to conceptualize a new feature or improvement for the Microsoft Rewards program. The challenge involved designing a feature that would drive user engagement and retention within the Rewards ecosystem. I was asked to present my design thinking on paper (or a whiteboard), considering user flows, interaction design, and how the new feature would integrate with the existing Rewards infrastructure.

• Example Challenge: “Design a rewards-based notification system that encourages users to engage more frequently with the Rewards program. How would you design the system to be non-intrusive while maintaining engagement?”

Portfolio Deep Dive:

In this round, I was asked to dive deeper into specific projects from my portfolio that were particularly relevant to the Rewards space. The interviewers wanted to understand my approach to designing for consumer behavior, how I ensure usability and accessibility, and how I handle metrics-driven design. We discussed design decisions in detail, and they asked probing questions about the impact of my work.

• Example Question: “Can you walk us through how you improved user engagement in a past project? How did you measure success, and what specific design elements contributed to the improvement?”

Collaboration and Cross-Functional Work:

This round assessed how I work with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. The interviewer asked about how I ensure alignment between design goals and technical constraints, and how I manage feedback loops to refine designs.

• Example Question: “Tell us about a time when you worked with a cross-functional team on a project with tight deadlines. How did you manage design deliverables and ensure that the final product met both user needs and technical requirements?”

Leadership and Strategy Interview:

The final onsite interview was focused on leadership and strategic thinking. I was asked how I define the vision for a design system, how I manage multiple design initiatives, and how I influence broader product teams with design solutions. This round also focused on my experience mentoring junior designers and driving design innovation within the organization.

• Example Question: “As a Principal Designer, how would you define a long-term design strategy for a program like Microsoft Rewards? How do you ensure that design remains consistent, user-centered, and aligned with the company’s broader business goals?”

Final Round with Leadership

The final round was a discussion with senior leadership, including the Design Director for the Rewards team. The conversation was strategic and focused on how I could contribute to Microsoft’s overall vision, lead a design team, and influence key stakeholders across the organization. Leadership was particularly interested in how I view the future of design systems, how to evolve the Rewards program, and how I would drive innovation in a highly competitive market.

• Example Question: “How do you see gamification evolving in digital products like Microsoft Rewards? How would you ensure that new features drive engagement while staying true to user needs and brand values?”

2. Key Topics Covered in the Interview

The interview focused on several key areas:

Design Systems and UX/UI Design

Since the role requires managing and improving design across various platforms, there was a significant emphasis on my ability to build scalable design systems, maintain design consistency, and ensure that the Microsoft Rewards experience is seamless across devices.

Consumer Behavior and Engagement

As the role revolves around user engagement and retention, the interviewers focused on my ability to design experiences that drive consumer behavior. They wanted to assess my knowledge of gamification, loyalty programs, and how design influences user decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

The interviews included a strong focus on how I work with other teams (product managers, engineers, marketing) to implement designs and ensure alignment with the overall business strategy.

Leadership and Mentorship

As a Principal Product Designer, leadership skills are paramount. I was asked about my experience in mentoring junior designers, leading design initiatives, and influencing the design direction of products that impact a large number of users.

3. Example Interview Questions

Design Process:

• “How do you prioritize features when designing a rewards system with multiple user personas?”
• “How would you approach designing a personalized user experience for Microsoft Rewards? What factors would you consider to ensure it’s both engaging and non-intrusive?”

Behavioral and Leadership:

• “Tell us about a time when you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a design solution that initially faced resistance. How did you handle the situation?”
• “How do you handle situations where there’s a disagreement between design and engineering teams on a particular feature?”

4. Preparation Tips

Understand Microsoft Rewards

Familiarize yourself with the Microsoft Rewards program, its goals, and how it integrates with other Microsoft services. Be prepared to discuss how design can improve user engagement, retention, and behavioral tracking in a rewards-based system.

Design Process and Tools

Be ready to talk about your design process, from research and prototyping to testing and iteration. Familiarize yourself with the tools Microsoft designers use (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) and be prepared to discuss how you use these tools in a collaborative environment.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Since the role requires close collaboration with other teams, be prepared to discuss how you’ve worked with product managers and engineers to implement designs.