How to Tell Design Decisions as a Story in UX Interviews
UX interview case studies are stories about what decisions were made under constraints, and what those decisions changed. To help the interviewer understand the project and follow the designer’s thinking process, structure it in the following five steps.
1. Background explanation — the starting point for understanding the project
Briefly and clearly introduce the product, the users, and your role. Assuming the interviewer does not know the industry or service, provide the context needed to understand the decisions that follow.
2. Problem definition — what needed to be solved, and why
Connect the difficulties users experienced with the resulting business impact. Before showing the solution, explain why the problem mattered so that the need for design also gains persuasiveness.
3. Approach — what choices led to the answer
Cover the alternatives explored, the constraints, and the trade-offs considered. Including failed attempts and what was learned from them reveals the basis for the judgment that led to the final proposal.
4. Solution — how the design solved the problem
Explain each design element in relation to the problem defined earlier. Show why it was designed this way and how it was more suitable than the other alternatives considered.
5. Results and learnings — what changed
Explain the improvements after launch and the impact on the business. Finish the project by adding the learnings to the measurable results, along with what you would change if you did it again.
