What are the different types of UX interviews?

There are several different types of UX interviews that companies may conduct to assess your skills, experience, and fit for the role. Each interview type serves a different purpose and tests specific aspects of your UX knowledge and problem-solving abilities. Here are the main types of UX interviews:

1. Portfolio Review

The portfolio review is one of the most common types of UX interviews. It involves walking through your UX projects to demonstrate your design process, problem-solving skills, and the outcomes of your work. The interviewer is interested in how you approach design challenges, your thought process, and your ability to create user-centered solutions.

What to Expect:

• Present 2-3 of your best projects.
• Explain the problem, your process (research, wireframes, testing), and the final solution.
• Be prepared to answer questions about your design decisions and challenges.

2. Behavioral Interview

In a behavioral interview, the interviewer assesses how you handle real-world situations, collaborate with teams, and approach challenges. You’ll be asked about past experiences to demonstrate your soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and handling feedback.

What to Expect:

• Questions like "Tell me about a time when…" or "How did you handle…?"
• Topics may include conflict resolution, receiving design feedback, and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Prepare examples from your past work experiences to answer questions.

3. Design Challenge (Take-Home)

Some companies give candidates a take-home design challenge where you are asked to solve a UX problem in your own time. You will need to submit your solution, which could include wireframes, user flows, or prototypes.

What to Expect:

• You will receive a UX problem to solve within a specific time frame (typically 48 hours to a week).
• You’ll be expected to explain your design process, present your solution, and justify your decisions.
• The focus is on your ability to understand user needs, create wireframes, and iterate on feedback.

4. Live Design Challenge (Whiteboard Exercise)

In this type of interview, you are asked to solve a UX problem in real-time, often on a whiteboard. The emphasis is not on delivering a polished design but rather on demonstrating how you approach problem-solving, generate ideas, and think critically about user needs.

What to Expect:

• You will be asked to solve a UX problem live while explaining your thought process.
• The challenge usually involves brainstorming, sketching user flows, or wireframing.
• It’s important to communicate your reasoning clearly and remain open to feedback or suggestions.

5. Technical Interview

In some cases, UX designers may be asked technical questions related to front-end development (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or design tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD. These interviews are more common in roles where design and development overlap.

What to Expect:

• Questions about your experience with design tools, prototyping software, or front-end coding.
• You may be asked to discuss how you implement your designs or collaborate with developers to ensure feasibility.

6. User Research Interview

If you are applying for a UX role that emphasizes user research, the interview may focus on your ability to conduct user research, gather insights, and translate those insights into design decisions. This type of interview tests your research skills and how well you can understand user behavior.

What to Expect:

• Questions about user research methods (interviews, surveys, usability tests).
• Be prepared to explain how you conduct research, analyze data, and apply insights to your designs.
• Discuss examples of how user research has influenced your design decisions in past projects.

7. Culture Fit Interview

The culture fit interview is designed to assess whether you’ll align with the company’s values, work ethic, and team dynamics. The focus is on your personality, attitude, and how you work with others.

What to Expect:

• Questions about your work style, collaboration preferences, and how you handle feedback.
• The interviewer may ask about your experiences working in teams or navigating challenges in previous jobs.
• It’s important to show that you align with the company’s values and would be a good fit within their team culture.

8. Usability Testing Interview

In some UX roles, you may be asked about your experience in conducting and analyzing usability tests. This interview tests your ability to plan and execute tests, gather user feedback, and make data-driven design decisions.

What to Expect:

• Be prepared to discuss different usability testing methods you’ve used (e.g., moderated, unmoderated, remote testing).
• Explain how you set up tests, analyze the results, and implement changes based on user feedback.
• Share examples of how usability testing has improved your designs.

9. Product or Stakeholder Interview

In this type of interview, you may meet with product managers, engineers, or other stakeholders to assess how well you can collaborate and communicate with different teams. This interview is important because UX designers often work across multiple departments.

What to Expect:

• Questions about how you collaborate with non-design team members, such as developers or product managers.
• Be prepared to discuss how you balance user needs with business goals.
• Demonstrate that you can clearly communicate your design rationale to different stakeholders.

Summary of UX Interview Types:

1. Portfolio Review: Showcase your best projects and explain your design process.
2. Behavioral Interview: Discuss real-world situations to demonstrate your soft skills.
3. Design Challenge (Take-Home): Solve a UX problem independently and present your solution.
4. Live Design Challenge (Whiteboard Exercise): Solve a UX problem in real-time and explain your thought process.
5. Technical Interview: Assess your experience with design tools or front-end technologies.
6. User Research Interview: Focus on your ability to conduct and apply user research.
7. Culture Fit Interview: Determine if you align with the company’s values and team culture.
8. Usability Testing Interview: Assess your experience in conducting and analyzing usability tests.
9. Product or Stakeholder Interview: Evaluate how well you collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Understanding the different types of UX interviews will help you prepare more effectively and tailor your approach to the specific interview format.