Shadowing Practice: The Essential UX Interview Questions (And How To Answer Them!) - Learn English Speaking with Video

What are some of the most common questions

that come up in a UX design interview and how should you go about answering them?

In this video we'll break down some of the most important questions

that I hear all the time and equip you with the mindset and tactics to answer them successfully.

The tips, tactics and mindset that I'm going to share with you come from years of personal experience,

being interviewed for UX design roles and hiring UX designers to work with me on my teams.

My name is Dee and I've been involved in design leadership and worked as a UX designer for over 12 years.

Hopefully the tips I share with you in this video will help you in your UX interview.

As you're watching this video, if you have any questions about the tactics I offer, please let us know by writing a question in the comments and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Let's think first about what a UX hiring manager is really looking to ascertain from you in an interview.

What this person is looking to find out is what it will actually feel like to have you working in their team.

So as well as technical ability which is also important but not the primary goal in the interview, they want to know what will it feel like to have this person sitting next to me

and work with them every day.

Can I trust the decisions that they will make when I

when I give them work to do and will this person's values

and way of working align with what the company wants to achieve and how the company is used to working.

It's really important to get into the mindset of the interviewer as you prepare

and think about how you will answer these kinds of questions

because even though the interviewer will ask you questions

that sound quite specific

and even technical what they're trying to find out is how you think how you work

and less about the technical side and more about you who you are

and how you will fit into

that team it's important to keep this in mind as i'm detailing each of these common interview questions

and how you should answer them and with

that out of the way let's dive in to question number

one one of the most commonly asked questions in a ux interview what is your favorite digital product and why

and the important thing to note with a question like this

is they don't really want to know what your favorite digital product is

but they want to hear you articulate

and clearly justify why you think some things are really good in digital products

and why other things aren't specifically around UX design.

Some really common ways that this is answered

which could be considered the wrong way to answer this is to say something like I love Spotify

or I love Netflix because they have all the things that I want and I use it every day.

This is not an answer that's giving them any information about who you are

and how you justify and describe good UX and bad UX features and ideas.

what they're really looking for is for you to describe

and articulate which ux features and the way

that those products were designed to do things like enhance user engagement

and get people to keep coming back over

and over again to use their product

or how some of the features enhance discoverability of new content how i can constantly find new

and different types of movies or tv shows

or be exposed to a steady stream of new music that you wouldn't otherwise have discovered

So they're really wanting you to pinpoint those details and explain and justify why those design decisions were good ones.

They don't care so much about which products you love the most, but they want to see that you have an understanding of what it takes to make a product successful.

So think about some of your favorite products,

look at them and see which one you can craft a a good story around where you can pre-think and identify features,

design choices and decisions that have gone into making that product and how you can articulate those well to the interviewer.

So the kinds of things you should think about before going

into the interview room is what are some of my favorite products and think about why they keep your attention, why maybe you're willing to pay for them,

why is it worth it to you, why do you want to share it with friends and what are the things you like to share.

Thinking about these kinds of things will help you clearly

articulate and justify in a UX interview what the good features are of a particular product that you love.

On to the next question.

Why do you want to work here?

This is a common question in any type of interview

and the really common mistake that people make is to explain some logistical reasons why they want that job.

Maybe it's in an area that they want to work in or a new city that they want to move to.

Maybe it's paying the right amount of money or it's in a field

that they really want to branch out into and and become an expert at.

So if you're in an interview for a UX job

and previously you had a slightly different role you don't want to say oh

because I really want to get into UX design.

What that says to the interviewer is

that you're using them as a step in your own career

and that might be true for you but you shouldn't say that in the interview.

The company is wanting to pull out of you why they should hire you, what value will you bring to them,

how will you be an asset and help them grow their company and their team.

So if you give answers to this question

that are more about what you want rather than what you

can give to them then they won't really learn much about you

and why you would be a good fit for their team.

So again, pre-thinking about this kind of question is a really good idea.

Otherwise you might find yourself giving these first answers that aren't really what they're trying to get out of you.

So here's a tangible example.

Instead of saying something like, I really want to grow more in my qualitative user research skills, that sounds like this is what you want to get out of the company.

You can simply rephrase this in a way that makes it feel more like this is what I can offer to you.

So instead you can say in previous roles I didn't get

to do as much qualitative research as I would like and it's something I really feel is important.

I noticed that your company values qualitative user research

and this is something where I feel like I can bring a lot to your team.

So here you've actually said the same thing but in a way

that sounds much more like you have a passion and experience that you want to bring to this company rather than saying, I want to get this out of your company.

So with this kind of question, why do you want to work for this kind of company?

Pre-think about your answers and have two or three things ready and make sure you practice in advance.

You can rephrase your answers to make sure it sounds not

like this is what I want to get out of working for your company, but rather this is what I have to offer if I would come and join your team.

Can you walk me through one of the projects in your portfolio?

This question is aimed to understand in more detail how you work, how you made the decisions that you do and what it would be like if you joined our team.

So the way you shouldn't answer this question is to explain every little logistical step and detail of the project, who was working on it,

how many people, what happened, how long, all these little steps.

What they're looking for is to see where you made your decisions

and why and where things went a little bit off track and how you got them back on track,

how you worked with others and what the difficult parts were and how you overcame them.

They want to hear the story of you and why you would be awesome to work with.

There's also a hidden purpose to this question.

They want to see how clearly and well you communicate to them.

100

So when they ask you a question, walk us through this project or tell us this story, they don't really want to hear the full story of everything that happened.

101

They want to see how well you can distill

102

and explain just the relevant details to clearly get the message across that they want to know about.

103

So this is really also testing your ability to communicate with people.

104

So here's a real example of how I would answer that question based on a project that I recently worked on.

105

First I'll do it a bit the wrong way and then I'll show you the right way.

106

So an interviewer has just asked me walk us through this project

107

and the wrong way to answer would be to say okay well this was an information architecture project

108

and first we started with a kickoff with the team

109

and the strategy and direction came from this particular person

110

and then we did some sessions around information architecture

111

and we did this card sorting exercise and on and on and on like that.

112

So what I'm doing there that's not really the right way to answer is explaining the logistics

113

and the fundamental steps of the project, which is not what they're interviewing me for.

114

They don't want to hear all the steps of my project.

115

They want to hear about me and how I do things.

116

So the way I would answer this question well is to say, this was actually a really exciting project.

117

The goal was to create a digital platform for online learning

118

and knowledge sharing the role that I had in that project was to do the information architecture,

119

run some sessions and workshops with multiple team members across the organization,

120

distill and define that information and then come out with a clear concept for how we would move forward with that platform.

121

So here you can actually see I've covered a lot more ground

122

and explained a lot more about the project and my specific role

123

and the things that I did in actually less time than it took for me to

124

ramble through that long logistical description earlier.

125

So that's what they want to see.

126

They're testing your communication skills and they also want to hear about the work that you did, how you did it and the decisions that you made.

127

So with this particular question where they're asking you to walk through a particular project in your CV, think ahead of time which project and how you would distill

128

and define those key moments and key points that they want to hear about who you are, what you can do and how you work.

129

On to the last question, describe a challenge that you faced and how you handled it. And

130

when someone asks you a question like this in the context

131

of a UX interview they're going to be meaning what's a challenge

132

that you faced as a UX designer in the UX design process

133

or a challenge you faced in teamwork but all around UX design.

134

What they're trying to find out is how you handle difficult situations

135

and it's really good to think about this beforehand pick one

136

or two situations that you've faced that were challenging

137

which i'm sure there have been some make sure they're real

138

because it really does pay to be able to answer this honestly

139

and often even if you made a bad decision

140

or failed in the outcome that you were hoping to achieve that's totally fine

141

which is counterintuitive

142

but they're really wanting to hear things like you can admit your mistakes you can pivot

143

and change your ideas when you know you're on the wrong track.

144

You can work well with other people.

145

So even if there's been a difficulty in the team, you can acknowledge that and face that challenge and move forward together.

146

So acknowledging failure or difficulty in this particular situation is not a downside, but actually rather an upside.

147

The biggest mistake that you can make answering this kind of question is to pretend that you've never faced any big challenges, or if you did, you overcame them all with ease.

148

That is not what happens in real teams and real companies.

149

What they really want to see here is that you can acknowledge and admit when you have made a mistake

150

and especially that you can identify when a mistake has been made

151

and then you can move forward and try potential options and ways to get out of it, especially working collaboratively with other people.

152

To give you a real example, the story that I go back to when I'm asked this question in an interview is always back to the same case.

153

There was a project I worked on years ago where we really thought we were on the right track

154

and we were about to launch a new product.

155

We had done user research, we had done multiple concepting stages, been collaborative in the workplace and even built prototypes and tested them

156

and then we realized right at the last minute

157

that we had built our prototypes and done our user research on the wrong topics

158

and we were about to launch this product

159

that was supposed to solve a problem and we realized we had misdefined

160

that problem and we were solving the wrong thing

161

so this was a huge crisis in the team

162

and in the company we all felt like failures

163

and we were afraid to admit it and figure out what we should do

164

so the way that we move forward as a team was to acknowledge

165

that we'd made a mistake that would really affect the success of our launch

166

that we needed to delay hold back and reassess

167

and do some more work to almost start from scratch

168

but use what we had and reframe it in a different way

169

so when i tell this story in interviews the interviewer hears important things about me

170

and how i work that i'm humble enough to admit

171

when i'm wrong that i can take tough decisions to delay

172

and roll back when I think we're not on the right track, that I can work with others

173

and bring other people together with me to help me make those tough decisions

174

and that they could trust working with me as a designer

175

because I know that these big things still won't trip me up.

176

Really try and think back over the work that you've done, different companies or projects you've worked on,

177

even a course that you're a part of or even if you worked for a company where you weren't a UX designer.

178

So find those nuggets that the interviewer will really want to hear about.

179

Not just about the mistakes that you made but how you faced those challenges, what options and alternatives you tried and how you eventually came out the other side.

180

This is where the interviewer really gets to see if you show them what you're really like, how you really work and how you handle tricky situations.

181

Hopefully these tips, stories and recommendations help you to prepare for your next interview.

182

Job interviews can be really daunting, but hopefully knowing what's coming and how to prepare for it can help you feel confident when you walk into the room.

183

If you enjoyed this video, give it a like and subscribe to the Career Foundry channel for more UX and UI content just like this every week.

184

If you're interested in learning more about UX design, Career Foundry have a great free short course.

185

You can sign up by the link in the description below.

186

I would love to know from you in the comments which interview tip was the most valuable to you and why.

187

Thanks so much for watching and I wish you the best of luck in your upcoming UX interviews.

188

See you again soon.

189

My name is Dee and I've got long hair.

190

What they're trying to ascertain...

191

Fine, ascertain sounds so...

192

If you're interested...

193

If you're interested...

194

Slow down.

195

Have any questions about the tactics I offer?

196

You'll oftenly get asked in a UX interview.

197

Oftenly.

198

That's a word.

199

Cut that out.

✨ Recommend Video

116 sentences

The UX/Product Design Interview Process Explained (2023) - how I landed multiple FAANG offers

Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students

226 sentences

FMCG Interview Questions and Answer for Beginners and Experts!

Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students

How To Answer The TOP Marketing Interview Questions Like a PRO?

250

35 sentences

How To Answer The TOP Marketing Interview Questions Like a PRO?

Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students

173 sentences

15 Common Health and Safety Interview Questions and Answers - Safety Training

Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students

72 sentences

Interview Question: “What Are Your Weaknesses?” And You Say, “...”

Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 199 sentences and 2871 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:50. The speaker talks fast, about 194 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

interviewer /ˈɪntɚvjuɚ/ (noun) — One who interviews.
designer /dɪˈzaɪnɚ/ (noun) — A person who designs something, or who designs things as a profession.
acknowledge /əkˈnɑ.lɪd͡ʒ/ (verb) — To admit the knowledge of; to recognize as a fact or truth; to declare one's belief in.
tactics /ˈtæktɪks/ (noun) — The military science that deals with achieving the objectives set by strategy.
justify /ˈd͡ʒʌstɪfaɪ/ (verb) — To provide an acceptable explanation for.
articulate /ɑːɹˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/ (verb) — To make clear or effective.
architecture /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/ (noun) — The art and science of designing and managing the construction of buildings and other structures, particularly if they are well proportioned and decorated.
hire /ˈhaɪɹ/ (verb) — To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment.
mindset /ˈmaɪn(d)ˌsɛt/ (noun) — A way of thinking; an attitude or opinion, especially a habitual one.
skill /skɪl/ (noun) — A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.
solve /sɒlv/ (verb) — To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.
delay /dɪˈleɪ̯/ (noun) — A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/ (noun) — The state of being difficult, or hard to do.
define /dɪˈfaɪn/ (verb) — To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly.
overcome /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/ (verb) — To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

think about /ˈθɪŋk əˌbaʊt/ (verb) — To ponder.
get out of (verb) — To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of.
find out (verb) — To discover, as by asking or investigating.
move forward (verb) — To cause to make progress.
work on (verb) — To apply mental or physical effort to (something) in order to shape, form, improve, investigate, solve it, etc.
come from (verb) — To have as one's origin, birthplace or nationality.
get into (verb) — To move into (an object), such that one ends up inside it.
look for (verb) — To seek.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 59 contractions and reduced forms, such as they're, you're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: passion /ˈpæʃən/, workshop /ˈwɝk.ʃɑp/, recommendation /ˌɹɛkəmɛnˈdeɪʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: articulate /ɑːɹˈtɪk.jə.leɪt/, architecture /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/, difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, successfully /səkˈsɛs.fə.li/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like interviewer, designer, acknowledge.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've been involved · have discovered · have gone
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	being interviewed · I've been involved · is answered
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	ability which is · project, which is

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: The Essential UX Interview Questions (And How To Answer Them!) - Learn English Speaking with Video

10 CRUCIAL Questions You MUST Ask Your Interviewer (as a UX/UI Designer)

Answering behavioral interview questions is shockingly uncomplicated

Ace every UX/UI design interview like THIS

SOC Analyst: Top Interview Questions & Answers (2025)

UI UX Interview Questions ( Part 1)

English Job Interview Tips and Tricks 3 | English Job Interview Preparation

Googleyness and Leadership Interview Question

The UX/Product Design Interview Process Explained (2023) - how I landed multiple FAANG offers

FMCG Interview Questions and Answer for Beginners and Experts!

How To Answer The TOP Marketing Interview Questions Like a PRO?

15 Common Health and Safety Interview Questions and Answers - Safety Training

Interview Question: “What Are Your Weaknesses?” And You Say, “...”

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

Grammar in this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?