Explain a Past Design Project
Part of the UI/UX Design Roadmap
In short
'Tell me about a project you're proud of.' You can almost guarantee this question. A clear, practised story here sets the tone for the whole interview.
Walking an interviewer through a real project (from your portfolio or work) — the problem, your approach, what you found, and its impact — one of the most predictable interview questions.
Think of it like this
Telling the story of your trek
When friends ask about your trek, you don't list every step. You say where you went, the tough bit when the trail washed out, how the group got past it and how the view felt at the top. Tell project stories the same way.
Watch it happen
The STAR structure for project stories
1/5Situation: the product, the users and what was going wrong. Two sentences.
The big ideas
What you need to know
Focus on you
Say 'I' for your actions. Interviewers need to know what you did, not the team.
Pick your best
Choose a project with a clear problem, real decisions and an outcome.
Short first
Aim for about two minutes, then let them ask where they want more.
Practise, don't memorise
Know the key points, but say it naturally each time.
See it in code
Walk through the code
1S: Our college bus app showed wrong arrival times,2 so students waited in the sun or missed buses.3T: I was the only designer on a 3-person student team.4A: I interviewed 8 students, found they only needed5 'when is my bus', and redesigned the home screen6 around one big live ETA. I tested 2 versions.7R: In tests, students found their bus time in 3s8 instead of about 15s.9L: I'd involve the bus drivers earlier next time.1/3Situation and task: the problem and your exact role.
A STAR story you can say in under two minutes. The action part is longest, and every claim is specific.
Save yourself the pain
Common mistakes
Oops
Spending five minutes on background before getting to your work.
Do this instead
Keep situation and task to about 30 seconds. Spend most time on action and result.
Oops
Saying 'we' for everything.
Do this instead
Be clear about your part, while giving credit to the team.
Your mission
Write your STAR
Quick check
In a STAR answer, which part should get the most time?
Go deeper
- 1Prepare a tight 2-3 minute walkthrough of your strongest Phase 14 portfolio project.
- 2Structure it as: problem, process, solution, impact — in that order.
- 3Practice fielding a technical follow-up question about your methodology.
More behavioral at this stop
Handling Design Feedback & Pushback
Cross-Functional Collaboration Stories
Staying Current With Design Trends
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