Understanding the Question

When an interviewer asks, "Can you describe a time when you had to defend your design decisions?" they are probing into several areas of your professional capabilities and mindset as a UI Designer. This question is not just about understanding your design choices but also gauges your ability to communicate effectively, handle criticism, and demonstrate resilience and adaptability in your role. It's a chance to showcase your problem-solving skills, your commitment to user-centered design principles, and how you balance business objectives with user needs.

Interviewer's Goals

The interviewer has several objectives in mind when asking this question:

1. Assessing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: They want to see if you can think critically about your work and make informed decisions based on user research, design principles, and business goals.
2. Evaluating Communication Skills: Your ability to articulate the reasoning behind your design choices and to persuasively defend them is crucial. This also includes your capacity to listen to feedback and incorporate it constructively.
3. Understanding Your Design Process: How you approach design challenges and iterate on your work is of interest. This includes how you balance various considerations such as aesthetics, usability, accessibility, and technical constraints.
4. Testing Your Resilience: The ability to handle rejection or criticism of your work professionally and use it as a growth opportunity is key in the fast-paced field of UI design.
5. Examining Teamwork and Collaboration: They are looking for insights into how you collaborate with other team members, including product managers, developers, and other stakeholders.

How to Approach Your Answer

To effectively answer this question, structure your response using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result):

1. Situation: Briefly describe the context within which you had to defend your design decisions. Set the stage for your story.
2. Task: Explain what your specific responsibility or goal was in this situation.
3. Action: Delve into the details of the actions you took to defend your design decisions. Focus on how you communicated your rationale, used data or design principles to support your argument, and how you engaged with feedback.
4. Result: Conclude with the outcome of your actions. Highlight positive results such as improved user experience, increased metrics, or successful project completion. If the outcome included learning or changes in your approach, share these insights as well.

Example Responses Relevant to UI Designer

Example 1:

"In a previous project, I was tasked with redesigning the checkout process for an e-commerce app. After conducting user research and A/B testing, I decided to simplify the process from five steps to three. When I presented the new design to the team, some members were concerned it might reduce upselling opportunities. I defended my decision by sharing the research data showing a significant drop-off in the original five-step process and highlighting industry best practices for minimal checkout processes. I also proposed a follow-up test focusing on upsell opportunities within the streamlined design. Eventually, the redesign led to a 25% increase in checkout completions, and we found effective ways to incorporate upselling that did not compromise the user experience."

Example 2:

"In my role at a software company, I introduced a dark mode feature for our application based on user feedback and accessibility considerations. Some stakeholders were skeptical about the investment required for this feature. I prepared a presentation that outlined the benefits of dark mode for user comfort and battery life, backed by case studies and user testimonials. I also included a competitive analysis showing that many of our competitors already offered this feature. After the presentation, the stakeholders were convinced, and we proceeded with the implementation, which ultimately led to a 10% increase in user engagement."

Tips for Success

• Be Specific: Provide a detailed account of a single instance rather than speaking in general terms. This makes your story more compelling and credible.
• Focus on Positive Outcomes: Even if the situation was challenging, emphasize the positive results or what you learned from the experience.
• Show Empathy: When defending your decisions, show that you understand and consider differing viewpoints. This demonstrates your ability to work collaboratively.
• Highlight User-Centric Thinking: Always tie back your design decisions to how they benefit the user or improve the user experience.
• Practice Your Storytelling: Being able to tell your story in a structured, engaging way is crucial. Practice out loud to ensure clarity and confidence during your interview.

By thoughtfully preparing your response to this question, you'll be able to demonstrate not only your design skills but also your critical thinking, communication, and collaboration abilities, all of which are essential for a successful career in UI design.