This document discusses how to prepare questions for a design interview. It recommends identifying your personal values and metrics for assessing a job to prioritize what is important. Some examples of values include autonomy, courage, and learning. Metrics could relate to design maturity, bureaucracy, or progression. The document provides advice on choosing 2-4 questions to ask the interviewer that relate to your priorities. It also suggests using your network and following up after the interview as other sources of information. In summary, the key aspects are to respect people's time, know your priorities, take advantage of the question opportunity, and good luck.

1. Peter Winchester / UX Camp Brighton 2022 / @hello_im_peter
Have you got any questions for us?
How to impress at your next job interview

2. Common sections in design interviews
Predictable
Telling your story / how you got here
Walking through your portfolio
Questions for the interviewer
@hello_im_peter
Unpredictable
A take-home task
A white board challenge
Questions speci
fi
c to the role

3. Common sections in design interviews
Predictable
Telling your story / how you got here
Walking through your portfolio
Questions for the interviewer 👈
@hello_im_peter
Unpredictable
A take-home task
A white board challenge
Questions speci
fi
c to the role

4. Why prepare questions for the interviewer?
@hello_im_peter
Your attitude

5. Why prepare questions for the interviewer?
@hello_im_peter
Your attitude Your skills

6. Why prepare questions for the interviewer?
@hello_im_peter
Your attitude Your skills Red
fl
ags Opportunities

7. Is there an etiquette?
No questions Too many questions
@hello_im_peter

8. Is there an etiquette?
No questions Too many questions
Perfect amount
@hello_im_peter
2 - 4 questions

9. Do I want to work on
these problems
with this team
for this organization?
Dan Saffer - @odannyboy

10. These problems
Is it an interesting problem space?
Do I know how to solve this? (If you answer yes, keep looking.)
Is it in an industry I'm excited about or intrigued by?
How long will it take to solve them?
Is it a problem worth solving?
Will I learn a lot by solving it?

11. This team
Who would be my boss? What is their style and does it sync with mine? My boss's boss?
Who would I be working with?
Who are the stakeholders?
How are decisions made?
What is the team culture/morale?
Is it an environment of trust?
Can I raise concerns safely?
Can I grow?

12. This organisation
What are its values?
Where is it headed? Who are its competitors?
How design mature is it?
Will I have the resources I need?
What are the competence and toxicity levels of leadership?
How much do they value individual employees?
Can I bring my whole self?

13. How do you prioritise your questions?
Do your values = Their values?
@hello_im_peter
Identify your values

14. How do you prioritise your questions?
1: When you were happiest?
2: What are you most proud of?
3: When were you most ful
fi
lled and satis
fi
ed?
@hello_im_peter

15. Justice
Kindness
Learning
Peace
Perfection
Security
Simplicity
Sincerity
Spontaneity
Success
Understanding
Wealth
Achievement
Adventure
Courage
Creativity
Dependability
Determination
Friendship
Health
Honesty
Independence
Integrity
Intelligence

16. Do their actual values =
their documented values?
@hello_im_peter

17. How do you prioritise your questions?
@hello_im_peter
Identify your
values / metrics
Prioritise what’s
important to you
What are your metrics?

19. How do you prioritise your questions?
Identify your
values / metrics
Choose / write
questions
Prioritise what’s
important to you
@hello_im_peter

20. Metrics: Design maturity
Values: Autonomy, courage, boldness
@hello_im_peter
“Can you describe a project that changed
direction because of user research?”
@userfocus

21. Metrics: Bureaucracy, progression
Values: Autonomy, ef
fi
ciency
@hello_im_peter
“What would I need to do in order to
expense a $50 book I need for my job?”
@karenmcgrane

22. What questions should I ask?
@hello_im_peter
Identify your
values / metrics
Choose / write
questions
Plan when you’re
going to ask
Prioritise what’s
important to you

23. Other potential sources of information
@hello_im_peter
Your network

24. Other potential sources of information
@hello_im_peter
Your network Follow up

25. Other potential sources of information
@hello_im_peter
Your network Follow up Application stage

26. In summary
Respect people's time.
Know your priorities and what's important to you.
Design interviews are formulaic. Don't miss the opportunity.
Good luck! 🙂
@hello_im_peter

27. Thanks
Peter Winchester / UX Camp Brighton 2022 / @hello_im_peter

28. Appendix
Interview question research (Notion
fi
le)
https://www.notion.so/Interview-question-research-706817fe18ba4177a68c9da5949239e3
Further reading on values (Notion
fi
le)
https://www.notion.so/Further-reading-on-values-ec6517c4c10349da82e6558baf76e5aa
Metrics to help you assess a role (Google doc)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uj428ycH02mrbRsWXOLKiieWFKDGO5qU3-HkcjaBySE/edit?usp=sharing
@hello_im_peter