The New Interview Questions Every Designer Needs to Prep

The interview questions have changed.

Five years ago, they'd ask about your design process. Your favorite apps. How you handle feedback.

Now? They want to know how you're using AI. Whether you can ship without a PM. How you'd cut scope to meet a deadline. The game is different.

The AI Question Is No Longer Optional

"How are you incorporating AI into your workflow?"

Every. Single. Interview.

It's not enough to say you've played with ChatGPT. They want specifics. How you use it for ideation. For writing product copy. For analyzing user research. For creating design systems documentation.

The designers getting offers? They're treating AI as a creative partner, not a threat. They can show real examples of how it multiplied their output.

If you're not using AI tools daily, you're already behind. This isn't about the future anymore. It's about right now.

The Business Questions

"How would you measure the success of this design?"

They don't want to hear about user satisfaction anymore. They want ROI. Conversion rates. Revenue impact. Cost savings.

"What would you do if engineering says your design is too expensive to build?"

The wrong answer: insist on your original vision. The right answer: understand the constraints and iterate. Show them you're not precious about your pixels.

"How do you prioritize when everything is urgent?"

They're testing if you can operate without constant hand-holding. Can you make decisions when your manager is in back-to-back meetings? Can you unblock yourself?

The Collaboration Probes

"Tell me about a time you disagreed with a PM/engineer/stakeholder."

They're not looking for heroes who fought for users against evil business people. They want someone who can navigate conflict without burning bridges. Who can influence without authority.

"How do you work with engineers during implementation?"

The days of throwing designs over the wall are dead. They want to know if you'll sit with engineers during sprint planning. If you understand technical constraints. If you can compromise without compromising quality.

The Speed Round

"We need to ship in two weeks. What's your approach?"

They're testing your ability to work in startup mode, even at big companies. Can you identify the MVP? Cut scope intelligently? Ship something good enough, then iterate?

"How do you balance quality with speed?"

There's only one right answer: it depends on the context. Then you better have examples of when you chose each path and why.

The Portfolio Deep Dive

"Walk me through your biggest failure."

They don't want to hear about a project that didn't launch. They want to hear about something that shipped and flopped. What you learned. How you recovered. Whether you can handle reality.

"Show me something you designed that's still in production."

Screenshots from three years ago don't cut it anymore. They want proof your work survives contact with real users. That it's maintainable. That it scales.

Need help crafting your case study narrative? Our new workshops are designed specifically for this—bring your messy work and get help shaping your story.

The Culture Fit Tests

"How do you stay current with design trends?"

Following Dribbble isn't enough. They want to know if you understand the why behind trends. If you can separate signal from noise. If you're learning constantly.

"What's your take on [latest design controversy]?"

They're checking if you can think critically. Have opinions but stay professional. Navigate the politics of design Twitter without getting canceled.

The Red Flags They're Watching For

• Using "I" too much when describing team projects
• Not knowing your actual impact metrics
• Portfolios full of unsolicited redesigns
• Talking about "educating stakeholders" (translation: you're difficult)
• Not having examples from the last 18 months

How to Actually Prepare

You can't memorize answers to these questions. They'll smell the script from a mile away.

What works? Practice. Real practice where someone asks follow-up questions. Where you can't edit your response. Where you learn to think on your feet.

Record yourself answering these questions. Listen back. Notice the rambling, the uncertainty, the moments where you lose the thread.

Then do it again. And again.

Because in this market, you might only get one shot at that dream role.

Ready to Practice?

We've compiled a comprehensive list of questions designers are actually getting asked in 2025.

Check out the full question bank at practiceround.co/questions

And when you're ready to practice them with real feedback?

Sign up at practiceround.co/signup

Got a friend prepping for interviews? Send them this. The questions aren't getting easier.