The skills test. Demonstrate your design thinking, problem-solving, and ability to work under pressure.
2-3 hours of real-time design work with observers. Think aloud as you work through the problem.
3-5 day project to complete on your own time. More comprehensive but time-intensive.
Design challenges have become more realistic and business-focused. Companies want to see how you handle real constraints and stakeholder needs.
Ask questions about users, constraints, success metrics, and scope. Don't start designing immediately.
Verbalize your thought process, trade-offs, and decision-making. They want to see how you think.
Begin with user flows and concepts before diving into detailed UI. Show your systematic approach.
Listen to observers' input and adapt your approach. Show you can collaborate and take direction.
Include research, competitive analysis, user personas, and multiple iterations. Show your full process.
Explain why you made specific choices, what alternatives you considered, and how you prioritized features.
Connect your design decisions to business goals and user outcomes. Include success metrics and KPIs.
Focus on solving the core problem well rather than adding unnecessary features. Quality over quantity.