Episode Transcript
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Zee (00:00):
Hello teacher friends, C
oach Zee here, Welcome back to
the UX Teacher Prep Podcast.
One thing I did a lot ofresearch on when I was
interviewing for UX jobs was theinterview questions.
As a teacher going into a newfield, I wanted to know what
kinds of questions I'd have toanswer and what kind of
information I would need to knowso I could be ready.
I've talked to a few clients inthe interview stage who have
(00:23):
asked me how should I preparefor my UX research interview.
So in today's episode I'llanswer that question based on my
own experience, uxprofessionals I've spoken to and
research that I've done.
Stay tuned.
Welcome to the UX Teacher PrepPodcast, the ultimate
destination for educators whoaspire to break into the field
(00:44):
of user experience and productdesign.
Your host, z Arnold, a 15-yearteacher turned UX Re searcher,
is here to guide, coach andmentor you through every twist
and turn as you make your careertransition into tech.
If you're ready for a moresatisfying career and lifestyle
and you want the balance tounleash your creativity, this
podcast is for you.
(01:04):
Now for the show.
Now, as I go through thesecommonly asked questions for UX
research interviews, I'm gonnaalso provide a possible answer,
and these will all be based onthe perspective of a teacher
(01:26):
transitioning to an entry-levelUX position, not someone who's
already working in UX, so keepthat in mind.
I'm also going to tell you whomight ask each question, since
you're likely to be interviewedby a panel of different
employees, like hiring managers,UX D esigners and P roduct M
anagers.
Finally, I'm going to tell youthe why behind the question, to
(01:47):
help you tailor your bestpossible answer.
And, to be clear, these areexample responses, but you
definitely want to answer basedon projects that you've
personally worked on.
So first, here are twoquestions.
Narrator (01:59):
A hiring manager might
ask what methodologies do you
find most effective for UXresearch?
With this question, the hiringmanager is interested in your
knowledge of different methodsand your versatility.
So, by understanding yourpreferred research method, they
can gauge whether your approachaligns with the company's needs
and the complexity of theprojects that you might be
(02:21):
working on.
So here's a possible answer.
I find a mixed methods approachmost effective, combining
qualitative methods, like userinterviews and usability testing
, with quantitative methods likesurveys.
This combination provides awell-rounded view of the user
behaviors and attitudes,allowing for deeper insights and
(02:42):
robust recommendations.
Next question they might askhow do you stay current with
trends and advancements in UXresearch?
So here the manager wants tomake sure you're proactive about
continuous learning and stayingupdated with industry trends.
This question assesses yourcommitment to professional
development and your ability tobring fresh, new perspectives to
(03:04):
the team.
So you can answer by sayingsomething like I stay current by
attending UX conferences,participating in workshops and
reading industry publications.
I engage in online UXcommunities and take relevant
online courses in my spare time,and that helps me keep up with
the new tools and methodologies.
Now, why is this important?
(03:25):
The field is constantlychanging, especially now with
the advent of AI, so hiringmanagers want to make sure you
stay on top of what's happeningso they can remain competitive
in their company.
So next here are two questions.
A UX researcher or senior UXresearcher who already work at
the company might ask you Canyou walk me through your process
for conducting a usability test?
(03:46):
And you can insert other UXmethods here, like concept
testing or in-depth interviews,but usability tests are very
common in UX research.
So the interviewer wants tounderstand how familiar you are
with the standard UX researchmethods and they want to make
sure you have a structuredapproach to something like
usability tests.
(04:06):
So this question assesses yourability to plan, execute and
analyze usability tests, whichare critical skills for a UX
researcher.
Your answer should focus on aresearch process like plan,
recruit, test, analyze,synthesize and track
implementation.
So here's an example of whatthat process might sound like,
(04:29):
and this is a very shortenedversion.
My process involves firstdefining the test objectives
based on the user problems we'retrying to solve.
Then I draft a test plan,recruit participants who
represent our target users andcreate a discussion guide with
tasks that reflect real-worldscenarios.
During the test, I observe andtake notes on user interactions,
(04:51):
identifying their pain points.
After the session, I analyzethe data and summarize the
findings in a report with clearrecommendations for improvements
.
Next, how do you handleconflicting feedback from
different user groups?
So UX research often involvesnavigating conflicting user
needs and preferences.
The interviewer is interestedin your problem-solving skills
(05:11):
and your ability to prioritizeand make decisions based on
different feedback from users.
So this question gauges yourability to balance different
perspectives and deliveractionable insights based on
those perspectives.
So here's a possible answer.
When faced with conflictingfeedback, I start by looking at
the context and specific needsof each user group.
(05:33):
I prioritize feedback based onhow well it aligns with our
primary user personas and ourbusiness goals.
If needed, I conduct follow-upstudies to get more clarity.
Open communication withstakeholders helps me make
informed decisions on how toaddress the varied feedback, for
example and then you could goahead and provide an example
(05:54):
from a recent project you workedon.
I feel like you always need tohave examples ready from recent
projects, especially when therewas some sort of conflict
involved, because you need toshow how you respond to conflict
.
Every job is going to have sometype of conflict or pushback,
so you have to be ready to showhow you handle that.
Now.
Ux researchers work veryclosely with UX designers, so
(06:18):
here are three questions a UXdesigner might ask.
The first one is how do youensure your research findings
are actionable for designers?
So the insight here is thatdesigners rely on clear,
actionable insights to createeffective user experiences.
The interviewer wants to ensurethat you can translate your
research findings into practicalrecommendations that designers
(06:40):
can implement.
So this question assesses yourcommunication skills and your
ability to collaborate withdesigners.
Here's a possible answer.
I focus on delivering clear andconcise findings and next steps
.
I often use visuals like userjourney maps and data charts.
I work closely with designersthroughout the process to make
sure they understand the contextand implications of the
(07:02):
research.
Regular feedback sessions andcollaborative workshops help
translate insights intoactionable design
recommendations.
Another question is can you givean example of how your research
directly influenced a designdecision?
Here the interviewer is lookingfor evidence of the impact of
your research on actual designwork.
They want to see if you canprovide concrete examples of how
(07:24):
your insights have led toimprovements or changes in the
design, demonstrating thepractical value of your research
in particular.
So you could answer somethinglike in a project where users
were struggling with navigation.
My research highlightedspecific pain points related to
unclear labeling.
I recommended changes to thelabeling and navigation
(07:45):
structure, which the design teamimplemented.
Follow-up testing showed thatthese changes significantly
improved user task completionrates, and you can find an
example from your specific workthat can illustrate this.
Okay, so the next question ishow do you balance the need for
thorough research with tightdeadlines?
So the interviewer wants tounderstand your time management
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skills and your ability toprioritize tasks.
Ux research often operatesunder tight deadlines, like many
other jobs, so it's importantto show that you can deliver
valuable insights within timeconstraints without compromising
the quality of your research.
So a possible answer isbalancing thorough research with
tight deadlines involvesprioritizing key research
(08:30):
questions and using efficientmethods like remote usability
testing or quick surveys.
Effective time management andclear communication with the
team about what's feasiblewithin the given time frame are
also crucial, and here you canprovide an example of a time
when you had to cut out somelow-priority research questions
to meet a tight deadline for aproduct launch.
So as UX researchers, we pay alot of attention to user
(08:54):
behaviors and pain points tomake sure the product is
functional and user-friendly.
Every product has a productmanager, and a product manager
oversees the development andlifecycle of a product, and they
balance the business objectiveswith the user needs and
technical feasibility to makesure they deliver valuable
solutions.
So a product manager wants tomake sure you fit into all of
(09:17):
that.
Here are four questions aproduct manager might ask you
One how do you align yourresearch goals with business
objectives?
You can answer something likethis I start by understanding
the business objectives and keyperformance indicators, also
known as KPIs.
I align my research questionswith these goals to ensure that
(09:37):
the insights I gather can drivestrategic decisions.
Regular check-ins with productmanagers help keep the research
focused and relevant to thebusiness priorities.
Next question describe howyou've used UX research to
inform product strategy.
So product managers wanna knowthat your research can drive
strategic decisions.
So, by asking this question,they're looking to understand
(09:59):
your ability to influenceproduct direction based on user
insights, demonstrating yourstrategic thinking and the
tangible impact of your researchon the product roadmap, so you
can say something like.
In a past project, my researchidentified a user need for a
feature that wasn't initiallyplanned.
By presenting user evidence anddemonstrating its potential
(10:21):
value, we prioritize thisfeature in our product strategy,
which led to increased usersatisfaction and engagement
post-launch.
And just to add some color tothis, you'd want to be a bit
more specific about the feature,if possible.
So, for example, a featurecould be a skip.
More specific about the feature, if possible.
So, for example, a featurecould be a skip button on an app
or an interactive whiteboard ona website.
(10:41):
Next question is how do youmeasure the impact of your
research on a product, and theinterviewer wants to see if you
can track and quantify theoutcomes of your research.
Measuring impact is crucial fordemonstrating the value of UX
research to your stakeholdersand to your company.
So this question is basicallyassessing your ability to
evaluate the effectiveness ofyour recommendations and their
(11:03):
contribution to productimprovements.
So you can answer withsomething like this I measure
impact through metrics like usersatisfaction scores, task
completion rates and overallengagement.
Tracking changes in userbehavior before and after
implementing research-drivenchanges helps demonstrate the
research's effectiveness.
Gathering stakeholder feedbackalso helps understand how
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research has informed theirdecisions, and once you get into
your UX research role, this issomething that you want to
remember to do Keep yourresearch alive.
Once you've completed a project, make sure that you follow up
and stay in the loop to see howthese changes have impacted the
product.
And the last question is can youdiscuss a time when you had to
advocate for the importance ofUX research to a skeptical
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stakeholder?
And advocating for UX researchis a big part of the job, and
it's often a part of many UXresearchers' jobs.
The interviewer is interestedin your communication and
persuasion skills, as well asyour ability to demonstrate the
value of UX research tostakeholders who might not
initially see how important itis.
So this question assesses yourability to build support for UX
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initiatives within theorganization.
So one way you can answer thisis in one project, a stakeholder
was skeptical about investingin UX research due to budget
constraints.
I highlighted case studies whereUX research led to significant
improvements in usersatisfaction and business
metrics.
I also emphasized the risk ofnot conducting research, such as
wasted development resourcesand poor user adoption.
(12:32):
This helped secure buy-in for astreamlined research plan.
All right, so those are some ofthe most common UX research
interview questions, why they'reimportant and examples of how
you might answer them.
I hope this episode was helpfuland if you're looking for more
support on your journey fromteacher to UX, visit
uxteacherprepcomuxteacherprepcom.
(12:56):
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(13:18):
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