Sample Interview Guide for a Digital Role (User Experience Design Manager)

Hiring for a digital role is about more than just finding someone with the right technical skills. You’re looking for someone who aligns with your team’s culture, understands the impact of their role on users, and can navigate challenges with confidence and collaboration.

This sample interview guide for a User Experience Design (UXD) Manager is designed to help you assess candidates in a structured yet flexible way. It covers key topics, from change management to problem-solving, and ensures candidates have a clear understanding of the role and expectations.

**Note: it is recommended to send these interview questions beforehand to the candidate, as part of decolonizing hiring practices.

Interview Structure

Duration: 60 minutes

• Introductions (5 mins)
• Core Questions (25 mins total, 5 mins per question)
• Portfolio Review (15-20 mins)
• Candidate Questions (10 mins)
• Next Steps (5 mins)

Supervisor Introduction

• Welcome the candidate, thank them for their time and interest.
• Introduce the interview panel.
• Outline the format of the interview and encourage them to ask clarifying questions.
• Explain that there will be time at the end for their questions and that a written assignment will follow.

Core Questions (5 mins per question)

1) Why This Role?
“What interests you in this position, and how do you see it fitting with your abilities, interests, and career goals? Why us, why now?”
Assessing: Understanding of the role and organization, career alignment, communication skills.

2) Design Inspiration & Trends
“Tell us about some of your favorite examples of good UX. Where do you find inspiration, and how do you stay up to date with trends?”
Assessing: Design knowledge, ability to stay current, self-motivation to learn.

3) Work Engagement & Productivity
“What factors help you feel engaged and successful at work? What factors make you feel frustrated or unproductive? Real-life examples welcome.”
Assessing: Cultural alignment, teamwork approach, supervisor preferences.

4) Handling Differing Opinions
“How do you handle a situation where a team member or stakeholder has a strong opinion about a feature design, but you believe it won’t provide a good user experience?”
Assessing: Conflict resolution, stakeholder management, problem-solving skills.

Portfolio-Based Discussion (15-20 mins)

Candidates should present a UX design project from their portfolio, covering:

• Problem Definition – What was the challenge? What was the project’s context?
• Solution Development & Validation – How did they arrive at their solution?
• Solution Implementation – How was it built and deployed?
• Accessibility & Inclusive Design – How was accessibility considered?
• User Research & Analytics – Did they use data (e.g., Google Analytics, interaction data) to inform decisions?
• Project Management – How did they manage work plans, budgets, stakeholders, and vendors?

Candidate Questions (10 mins)

• “What questions do you have for us about the role, our team, or our organization?”
• Before inviting questions, note the remaining time out loud.

Next Steps (5 mins)

• Interviews will conclude this week.
• 1-2 short-listed candidates will meet with the CEO next week.
• Candidates will be informed of their status by Friday.
• Honorarium details will be shared by our HR department.
• Encourage candidates to reach out with any questions via email.

Evaluation Criteria

Based on the interview and screening calls, assess whether the candidate: 

✅ Demonstrates an understanding of the role and its impact at your organization.
✅ Clearly articulates the value of UX design beyond aesthetics.
✅ Shows strong collaboration and project management skills.
✅ Aligns with organization’s values.
✅ Expresses interest in and knowledge of your organization’s mission and the nonprofit sector.