What tools do you use for creating a culture of design research in a company where one does not yet exist? Put another way, how have you used design research to move an organization towards design that is human-centered, socially responsible, and sustainable?
1. How do you work with, and engage the creative side of, engineers?
2. When looking for creative ideas, do you do your best work in an office or do you step outside to different locations for inspiration?
3. How do you know when a design/product you're working on is "good enough" or ready to ship?
4. What is one object, not made by Apple, that inspires you?
5. What made you decide to...
When you test an idea that is truly new and you hope to be market-disruptive, what kind of result do you expect? Should it show an immediate effect? How do you avoid measuring such an idea on previous-generation metrics? From the opposite perspective, how do you disarm the "this is new and disruptive, you can't test it because all of the metrics are old and irrelevant" objection that one often heard from someone who's had a "flash of insight"?
- How do the user researchers interact with the designers, engineers and product managers at your company?
- How does the user researcher role fit into the product team structure -- does each researcher belong to a particular product team, or are they more of a horizontal support role?
- What research methods have you found effective for getting insight into social interaction?
- I find that one-on-one tests/interviews give only limited insight into social behavior. How do you uncover social motivations and social frictions?
Thanks for asking! Looking forward to it.
1. How do you transition from designer to user researcher?
2. What's been the most exciting user insight that's lead to a fundamental shift in designing one of your products? Have you had any remarkable moments of clarity?
3. When starting a new round of research, what's your favorite method? For example, do you love interviewing users, or do you find incredible data trends from A/B testing?
4. How do you fit into the company? Do you design and research? Are you more concerned with research and information architecture? For those of you that've played multiple roles, what blends well together?
What is the relationship between qualitative user research and split testing at your company, and how fulfilled are you in that relationship?
Most often, I think of user research in the context of relatively mature products with lots of users in production. How would you describe user research's role in different stages of a new product development lifecycle? Do you have stories from the trenches?
Different companies think about the process differently but for instance
- Ideation
- Product definition
- Project planning (feature sequencing, scheduling, resourcing)
- Iterative internal development
- Semi-private beta testing
- Deciding ok to ship, public launch
What is the desired mix between quantitative data and qualitative user response when making your case for a redesign?
You should ask questions that are relevant to design decisions.
Exactly what those questions are depends on what the product is, how much market research and business analysis has been done, what the quality of that existing knowledge is, and where you are in the product design process.
If you’re in a research role, you should know this, so that concerns me a bit.
In general terms, what you should aim to find out include …
- Who is this for? You’re going to look specifically for characteristics that make a difference to use of the product, not general demographics.
- Why will they use it? You’re lookin
You should ask questions that are relevant to design decisions.
Exactly what those questions are depends on what the product is, how much market research and business analysis has been done, what the quality of that existing knowledge is, and where you are in the product design process.
If you’re in a research role, you should know this, so that concerns me a bit.
In general terms, what you should aim to find out include …
- Who is this for? You’re going to look specifically for characteristics that make a difference to use of the product, not general demographics.
- Why will they use it? You’re looking to find out what problem or need this product solves for the individual person using it.
- When will they use it? You’re looking for context. Is this something they’ll use on a laptop at work, outdoors, or in the check-out line at the supermarket with screaming kids in tow?
- What’s important? You’re looking to determine what’s significant to that user at the time of use. If you’re creating a product for traders or engineers, density of information is important. If you’re creating an app for runners, simplicity and minimal but prominently displayed information are important. It’s up to you to determine what the design priorities are.
Again, the questions you ask have to be specifically tailored to elicit the information that makes a difference to design decisions, no more and no less.
I've interviewed a lot of candidates for design positions at Quora over the last several years and I've found that very few ask the challenging, important questions that are necessary to distinguish between good design roles and bad ones. These are the questions I don't hear often enough, so I'm skipping some more basic ones that most people ask.
One theme that cuts across all of these: you should always get an extremely clear answer in plain English that you fully understand. I think too many designers accept vague handwaving because they don't have much experience in the industry, but you sho
I've interviewed a lot of candidates for design positions at Quora over the last several years and I've found that very few ask the challenging, important questions that are necessary to distinguish between good design roles and bad ones. These are the questions I don't hear often enough, so I'm skipping some more basic ones that most people ask.
One theme that cuts across all of these: you should always get an extremely clear answer in plain English that you fully understand. I think too many designers accept vague handwaving because they don't have much experience in the industry, but you shouldn't shy away from asking questions that might seem stupid or obvious. No company is alike, so avoid making any assumptions about how the role will operate.
How is the design role defined? What areas do designers own? What are they held accountable for?
At many companies, designers aren't accountable for anything. They're just perceived as technical talent that are told what to do and how to do it — my pal Brittany Forks characterized this as being Photoshop hands. You'll hear lots of soft, vague language like, designers are "really involved" in product or designers are "very important" to the company. Everyone says that. The thing that actually matters is where the buck stops: the best roles pair the responsibility of getting the work done with the accountability of doing the right work in the first place. When a new feature is being planned out, which roles are involved and what are they doing? When a new feature fails, who has to come up with the next steps?
If there are multiple design roles, make sure to understand how responsibilities are split between them. I'm personally skeptical of one-off or "special" roles that aren't standardized internally. You can't easily invest in tools or processes for them since there are no economies of scale, and it makes organizational boundaries difficult to maintain. Your mileage may vary.
What are the boundaries between the design role and other roles in the company?
Related to the above, you should know how you'll be expected to work with the other functions in the organization, particularly engineering and product management. Every company handles this differently, and it has a huge impact on how you work and whether you'll be happy with the results. How do designers communicate changes to engineers? What deliverables exist? What tasks do PMs do that designers don't? Who approves my work? What do I do when I get competing feedback from different leaders in the org?
What standing meetings exist and who attends them?
Meetings tend to be where leadership makes important decisions, so it's clarifying to to learn which people meet with each other and for what purpose. This will give you a lot of insight into where the organizational power lies and when design is actually involved.
How do you resolve disagreements between designers and other roles?
Regardless of how much you're concerned with resolving disagreements directly, understanding how the organization handles difficult decisions and trade-offs teaches you a lot about the overall culture and process. I don't think you should be looking for roles where designers have final say over every single thing they do, but you do want to hear an answer that sounds sensible and likely to produce good results. In particular, how are disagreements between the designer and the CEO resolved?
What is the overall company strategy? How do you acquire more users/customers? How do you (or will you) make money?
A good answer to this question is important for its own sake, obviously. But for your role specifically, the strategy of the business will determine what types of projects you work on. It will also tell you how important design is. The more design is directly part of how the business grows, the more input designers will have on decision-making. For example, many social products grow by virtue of being used, which means the design will directly drive business goals. Contrast this with a business that grows through sales or marketing, where other roles will be more directly influential to the bottom line.
How are product changes prioritized? What are you currently working on and why?
You should have a very concrete picture of how projects get prioritized, starting from the very top of the organization. You'll want to know very specifically how and when designers contribute to this process. You'll often hear "designers are involved" but without any specifics beyond that. Push past language like this and ask for descriptions of process or specific stories of how certain features/changes came about.
Learning what they're currently working on tells you a lot about the nature of the work you'll be doing. Do any of the projects sound like something you'd be excited to work on? Be skeptical of promises about cool future projects that aren't actually being actively developed right now. Companies like to dangle these sorts of opportunities, but unless you hear specifics that make you very confident that they'll really happen, you should generally disregard stuff like that as bait.
When people don't fit in culturally, what are the reasons?
It's good to ask for general descriptions of the company culture, but it's really easy for people to say anything they want and have it come off as plausible. A practical way to define culture is in terms of the behavior it encourages or discourages. Learning what makes someone fit in or not will tell you a lot. This can seem like the reverse of the question, "what is your greatest weakness?" so you should expect answers that try to skirt the issue. Don't be afraid to press hard on this. Mature, confident companies should be open to discussing the difficult trade-offs and tensions inherent in fostering a coherent culture.
Many candidates for design positions rarely ask important questions. These questions are frequently overlooked. One theme: clear answers in plain English are necessary. Many designers accept vague explanations due to inexperience. Assumptions about roles are unwarranted. How is the design role defined? What areas do designers control? What is their accountability? At many companies, designers lack accountability; they are merely technical talent. Vague language, such as designers being "really involved," is common. The best roles pair responsibility with accountability. Which roles are involve
Many candidates for design positions rarely ask important questions. These questions are frequently overlooked. One theme: clear answers in plain English are necessary. Many designers accept vague explanations due to inexperience. Assumptions about roles are unwarranted. How is the design role defined? What areas do designers control? What is their accountability? At many companies, designers lack accountability; they are merely technical talent. Vague language, such as designers being "really involved," is common. The best roles pair responsibility with accountability. Which roles are involved in planning new features? Who addresses failures? Understand how responsibilities are split between multiple design roles. Avoid non-standardized roles. What are the boundaries between the design role and others? How will designers work with other functions, particularly engineering and product management? How do designers communicate changes? What deliverables exist? What tasks do PMs perform? Who approves work? How are disagreements handled? What standing meetings exist? Meetings reveal organizational power and design involvement. How are disagreements resolved? Understanding how difficult decisions are handled reveals the culture and process. What is the company strategy? How are users acquired? How is money made? The business strategy determines project types and design importance. How are product changes prioritized? What projects are underway? Be skeptical of future projects. When do people not fit in culturally? Defining culture by encouraged or discouraged behavior is practical. Mature companies openly discuss cultural trade-offs. You can find more information about design interview questions in my biography description.
Some questions I like to ask during interviews in general:
- Where would you say is the intersection between product design, user experience architecture and product management?
- Tell us a story of a failed product and what you learned from it?
- What products have you built on the side, outside of your normal day-to-day?
- Which company do you think has the ability to lead the autonomous driving vehicle race, Waymo, Otto, or Volvo?
- Do you think that the United States still has the ability to lead the world from a technology standpoint?
- Provide an example of a country outside the United States that is adva
Some questions I like to ask during interviews in general:
- Where would you say is the intersection between product design, user experience architecture and product management?
- Tell us a story of a failed product and what you learned from it?
- What products have you built on the side, outside of your normal day-to-day?
- Which company do you think has the ability to lead the autonomous driving vehicle race, Waymo, Otto, or Volvo?
- Do you think that the United States still has the ability to lead the world from a technology standpoint?
- Provide an example of a country outside the United States that is advancing tech? How?
- Which company within the country you specified is leading the charge? What are they doing that is so special?
- What have you read recently that is non-tech related that could apply to your day to day?
- If you could go back to undergrad and study ANYTHING, which major would have the strongest application to what you do on a day-to-day basis.
- How do you craft your design KPI’s? How do you measure against them throughout the project lifecycle.
- Give me an example in which you thought a product manager was an adversary?
- 3 days from now, scientists make a major breakthrough leading to a technology that changes the world in a profound way. Describe the technology they found and why it was so monumental?
Pick the team you are most challenged and inspired by first. And then pick the product which presents the problems you find the most challenging.
Great people make great products. So choose people first.
Common:
- How much do you think a site / app will cost? Just a guesstimate we won’t hold you to it.
- How long will it take? Just an estimate no one will hold you to it.
- What do you think of my site?
- What’s your UX process?
- Do you think that competitor x’s site/app is better?
- Do you have experience in industry “y”?
- People are not visiting our site, why?
Interesting:
- I’ve been quoted to spend $20k a month on SEO, what do you think?
- How much for 7 wireframes?
- Do we need to pay for user research?
- We have heaps of research, can you just use that?
- Can we use VR or AR instead of basic web pages to visualize informat
Common:
- How much do you think a site / app will cost? Just a guesstimate we won’t hold you to it.
- How long will it take? Just an estimate no one will hold you to it.
- What do you think of my site?
- What’s your UX process?
- Do you think that competitor x’s site/app is better?
- Do you have experience in industry “y”?
- People are not visiting our site, why?
Interesting:
- I’ve been quoted to spend $20k a month on SEO, what do you think?
- How much for 7 wireframes?
- Do we need to pay for user research?
- We have heaps of research, can you just use that?
- Can we use VR or AR instead of basic web pages to visualize information?
- Not right now, but in the future, do you think we should use <place buzz technology here>?
- Someone said our website needs function “z” and we would convert more if you put the button higher on the page. What do you think?
- See what Uber has, can you build that for us? How much would that cost? <UXer answer goes here> Really?
On Point:
- Most clients don’t ask questions that are relating to UX, it’s all business that UXers need to interpret into UX concepts.
It’s really important to understand the background of your users. What do they do in their work and why could you product or service be of value to them?
Are they direct users of the product, such as network operators or administrators using network management software? Or do they have a secondary role, such as managing others who use the product, sales, or some other secondary role where they do not use the product or service directly.
So ask questions about their role and how they see the product or service of value in that role.
While you are asking these questions, try to get to know the user
It’s really important to understand the background of your users. What do they do in their work and why could you product or service be of value to them?
Are they direct users of the product, such as network operators or administrators using network management software? Or do they have a secondary role, such as managing others who use the product, sales, or some other secondary role where they do not use the product or service directly.
So ask questions about their role and how they see the product or service of value in that role.
While you are asking these questions, try to get to know the user as a person. What matters to them, why are they doing this job, what frustrates them about the role, and what excites them.
Once you have asked these preliminary questions, you will be in a good position to proceed with more detailed technical investigations such as uability testing and other exploratory activities related specific aspects of the way the product or service works. You will also have intimate knowledge of your user and this can help with understanding why that particular user responds in certain ways.
When choosing a web designer, consider their portfolio, client testimonials, and expertise in your specific industry. Questions to ask include: What is your design process? Can you provide case studies of similar projects? How do you handle revisions? What is your estimated timeline and cost? For more insights, check out my Quora Profile!
I think you’ll have no issue answering most of the questions.
As a researcher however you will need to cover one biggie:
How did your research findings transferred into product features?
This one is hard to answer as they will be looking how their existing process can fit you in and how your work can actually lead to tangible results.
I’d recommend to research their blog, social presence, reviews etc. to find out what organizational structure they currently have, how mature is their product development, what methodology they try to follow etc. Based on that try to form your ideal state answer.
Most
I think you’ll have no issue answering most of the questions.
As a researcher however you will need to cover one biggie:
How did your research findings transferred into product features?
This one is hard to answer as they will be looking how their existing process can fit you in and how your work can actually lead to tangible results.
I’d recommend to research their blog, social presence, reviews etc. to find out what organizational structure they currently have, how mature is their product development, what methodology they try to follow etc. Based on that try to form your ideal state answer.
Most importantly - be honest. Say - in the past I did this and this, but after researching what you guys do I think best way would be doing that and that. Also ask them to correct if you’re wrong so you can all work together on this - will show your team-working capabilities and thinking out of the box too.
Good luck!
When choosing a web designer, there are several factors that you should consider. Here are some key things to keep in mind and questions to ask before signing with a web designer:
1. Portfolio: Review their portfolio to assess the quality and style of their previous work. Look for designs that align with your vision and requirements.
2. Experience: Inquire about their experience and the number of years they have been working as a web designer. Ask if they specialize in any particular industry or type of website.
3. Expertise: Determine if the web designer possesses the necessary skills to handle
When choosing a web designer, there are several factors that you should consider. Here are some key things to keep in mind and questions to ask before signing with a web designer:
1. Portfolio: Review their portfolio to assess the quality and style of their previous work. Look for designs that align with your vision and requirements.
2. Experience: Inquire about their experience and the number of years they have been working as a web designer. Ask if they specialize in any particular industry or type of website.
3. Expertise: Determine if the web designer possesses the necessary skills to handle your project effectively. Ask about their proficiency in various programming languages, content management systems (CMS), and design tools.
4. Responsive design: Inquire about their experience with designing mobile-friendly and responsive websites. With the increasing use of mobile devices, it is crucial that your website is accessible on all screen sizes.
5. SEO knowledge: Ask if they have experience with search engine optimization (SEO) and if they can optimize your website for better search engine rankings.
6. Timeline and availability: Discuss the estimated project timeline and ensure that the designer can accommodate your desired launch date. Also, ask about their availability during the development process for timely communication and updates.
7. Pricing and payment terms: Request a detailed breakdown of their pricing structure. Ask if they charge a flat fee or an hourly rate, and what payment terms they follow. Additionally, inquire about any hidden costs or ongoing maintenance charges.
8. Support and maintenance: Find out if they provide post-launch support and maintenance services. Ask if they offer any packages or ongoing support options after the project is completed.
9. Communication and collaboration: Discuss how the web designer plans to involve you in the design process and how they will communicate progress and gather feedback. Clarify if they will provide wireframes, mockups, or prototypes for your review.
10. References and testimonials: Request references from previous clients to get an idea of their satisfaction with the designers work. Additionally, check online reviews and testimonials to gauge the designers reputation.
11. Intellectual property rights: Discuss who will own the intellectual property rights for the website design and its components. Ensure that you have the necessary rights to modify or transfer the website in the future.
Remember, its important to have open and transparent communication with the web designer to ensure a successful collaboration and a website that meets your expectations.
- What makes you a good graphic designer? ...
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? ...
- Describe a time when you had a conflict at work. ...
- What qualities and skills should a great graphic designer have? ...
- Do you work better alone or in a group? ...
- How do you incorporate feedback into designs?
AirBnB will really push the technology envelope (look up isomorphic JavaScript with AirBnB in a search). This probably translates into product design as well. By contrast, Facebook has a lot of entrenched legacy stuff.
On the flip side, I have yet to meet an unhappy Facebooker. All my friends over there really enjoy where they work.
Q. How do you imagine your work influencing what is built by engineering?
Q. I imagine UX research takes time. If that means building product will take more time why is is valuable?
Q. Can you explain your process? Walk me through the input and the outputs of your work.
Q. How does your work fit into an agile process?
I’ve been asked all the above questions in a variety of ways. The root of the questioning will come from the development team trying to learn how your work will make the product better, make their work easier or keep everyone employed. Your answers should be focused on quality and ef
Q. How do you imagine your work influencing what is built by engineering?
Q. I imagine UX research takes time. If that means building product will take more time why is is valuable?
Q. Can you explain your process? Walk me through the input and the outputs of your work.
Q. How does your work fit into an agile process?
I’ve been asked all the above questions in a variety of ways. The root of the questioning will come from the development team trying to learn how your work will make the product better, make their work easier or keep everyone employed. Your answers should be focused on quality and efficiency. By doing some research and designing something that has a better chance of success than just guessing makes the product better faster, not slower.
I guess they could ask these questions:
Are your design expensive?
Have you made any great design?
Do designers with software development skills have an advantage over those without? Or is it the other way around?
Scientifically, I can't say. I'm not academically qualified enough.
What I can tell you is that it's no accident. The big dogs of Silicon Valley extensively research and test their designs using usability (or A/B) testing and remote user testing with real users.
The reason it's pleasing is because it's what we like to see, and they know it.
I'm sure they all took inspiration from whichever first did it, too. White boxes on grey background is one of the oldest UI design methodologies in personal computing, have a look at Bravo, on Xerox.
The best question to ask a web designer is: "Can you show me examples of your previous work and explain your design process?" This question helps you assess their experience, style, and methodology. Reviewing their portfolio gives you a sense of their capabilities and compatibility with your project. Understanding their process ensures they have a structured approach to design and problem-solving. For more guidance on selecting a web designer, you can explore my Quora Profile.
During the initial consultation, ask: 1) What is your experience with projects similar to mine? 2) Can you walk me through your design process? 3) How do you handle feedback and revisions? 4) What tools do you use? 5) How will you ensure my website is user-friendly and accessible? This will help you assess their expertise and approach. For more insights, check out my Quora Profile!
Hi friends 🤗
The questions to ask your senior designers should be chosen based on your interests and their experience. Ask about their experiences and skills. Get advice on their ideas and techniques. Ask about their business acumen and design process. Try to learn from their experiences and seek their guidance. Even though I have learned graphic designing tools etc for a year, I have learned a lot from the tutorials of some sincere people According to him, he has 30 years of experience and I also like him very well .I will send the link if you want
Team team team! Choose it, not based on the prestige etc. of the company but the people you’ll immediately be working with. Makes a ton of difference in your day to day.
Google Interaction Designer interview process: (a) 1 Phone interview with an interaction designer, (b) an exercise to design something that you get to choose from 3 choices, (c) on-site: presentation about the exercise and projects from your portfolio, then (d) on-site: 5 interviews with interaction designers (including seniors).
There's a unified leveling system for all roles at Facebook with clearly stated expectations and scope, years on the role doesn't directly get someone promoted if they aren't building their skills. I assume it is this way at all large tech companies.
Well designed objects breathe imagination into the mind of the viewer and serve as monuments to ingenuity and desire... The Bilbao Guggenheim, Michelangelo's David, Anish Kapoor's Bean (in Chicago)... The Golden Gate Bridge even.
What are some objects that inspire you?
Any Technical design interviews tests the skill and capability of the candidate to solve complex systems. Here are the list of topics you have to be aware to crack design interviews.
- Basics of System Design(Scalability,Reliability,Availability,Efficiency,Latency,Throughput)
- Load Balancing and Caching
- Caching & Data Partitioning
- Data Partitioning, Indexing, SQL Vs NoSQL Database
- CAP Theorem
- Consistent Hashing and Modified Consistent Hashing
- High Level Design Problem, Client-Server Connection
- Designing the Shortening URL System
- Messaging Service(Whatsapp/FB Messenger/Telegram)
- Messaging Service continued
Any Technical design interviews tests the skill and capability of the candidate to solve complex systems. Here are the list of topics you have to be aware to crack design interviews.
- Basics of System Design(Scalability,Reliability,Availability,Efficiency,Latency,Throughput)
- Load Balancing and Caching
- Caching & Data Partitioning
- Data Partitioning, Indexing, SQL Vs NoSQL Database
- CAP Theorem
- Consistent Hashing and Modified Consistent Hashing
- High Level Design Problem, Client-Server Connection
- Designing the Shortening URL System
- Messaging Service(Whatsapp/FB Messenger/Telegram)
- Messaging Service continued and Twitter Design
- Rate Limiter
- Uber Design
- Youtube Design
There are many other resources to sharpen design skills and techniques.
Hackstack meetup groups
Youtube tutorials like
Gaurav Sen system design trainings
Tech Lead tutorials etc
Online Platforms to learn System Design Concepts
Hackstack – System Design Course
Educative
Udacity
Udemy
Coursera
These links can be helpful for a candidate to gain knowledge about the questions asked during an interview and how to answer the questions.
- Ask to see some samples of their work. (Do you understand what you are looking for?)
- Find out what kind of media they enjoy doing the most (This will help you determine if they are eager to work on the tasks necessary for the position or if they may not be a good fit)
- Ask what kind of programs they have worked with and are comfortable using (you should know what kind of programs you offer and they should align with the designer’s knowledge)
- Ask what they would like to do in the next few years (Find out their big picture; their WHY)
- Ask what kind of environment they work best in (this will determin
- Ask to see some samples of their work. (Do you understand what you are looking for?)
- Find out what kind of media they enjoy doing the most (This will help you determine if they are eager to work on the tasks necessary for the position or if they may not be a good fit)
- Ask what kind of programs they have worked with and are comfortable using (you should know what kind of programs you offer and they should align with the designer’s knowledge)
- Ask what they would like to do in the next few years (Find out their big picture; their WHY)
- Ask what kind of environment they work best in (this will determine if they are a good functional fit to the company)
The bottom line is to ask questions so that YOU can better understand if the candidate is a good fit or not. The questions above are ideas to start your interview process, but as long as you can ask questions and know what you are looking for when the candidate answers, then any (legal & ethical) questions are good.
At Facebook, we generally move too fast for hierarchies to get too much in the way.
We do have reviews of product work with director-level people on a regular basis but that's more about talking through hypotheses, showing off what we've done, and potentially making corrections to the roadmap.
In terms of sign off on product design, that doesn't really happen. The environment is such that you are always getting feedback from other designers, engineers, and other product folks. With that feedback in mind, there's a drive to ship product yourself with the help of your small team.
Once you have been working on a product for awhile, it's easy to lose sight of your initial goals and design direction. However, it's also important to adapt and grow the product organically.
How do you make sure you balance this, and how do you check yourself to make sure you're not straying too far?
Ask for feedback on your work. Bring a few pieces you're proud of. Be open to criticism and use it to become a stronger designer. The more you take feedback in and use it to grow the stronger you will be as a designer and more important you will become to your team.
Ask if you can help with anything, giving yourself an opportunity for them to teach you how to do something more efficiently and effectively.
Ask how you can be more efficient, there are a lot of tricks that I would never teach someone unless they asked.
A senior designer is a goldmine. When I was starting I was lucky enough to have s
Ask for feedback on your work. Bring a few pieces you're proud of. Be open to criticism and use it to become a stronger designer. The more you take feedback in and use it to grow the stronger you will be as a designer and more important you will become to your team.
Ask if you can help with anything, giving yourself an opportunity for them to teach you how to do something more efficiently and effectively.
Ask how you can be more efficient, there are a lot of tricks that I would never teach someone unless they asked.
A senior designer is a goldmine. When I was starting I was lucky enough to have senior designers willing to look over my work and provide feedback. What I learned from them is stuff I still go back to when I get stuck.
But even more importantly thank them for feedback even if it initially hurts to hear. Chances are that years later as you go back through your earlier work, you will find you would have told your younger self the same thing.
Each of us have developed a personal style or look that is uniquely ours. This job requires you to design with a look or style dictated by the client. How will you resolve that? Have you ever presented a design that the client rejected, why was it rejected?
Probably questions outside the boundaries of design because in every designer’s innermost thought is a constant dissonance that warrants designing itself.
So maybe “would you be a writer or photographer?”
How much of your work is inspired by MySpace?
Do you think your designs will ever reach the same level of sophistication as MySpace?
Don't you think it would be better if all of your websites were just a little more like MySpace?
Can I use my MySpace to log into your websites?
Do you think you will ever be acquired by MySpace?