Explaining Failed Design Ideas
Part of the UI/UX Design Roadmap
In short
'Tell me about a design that didn't work.' This question checks if you learn from mistakes. The worst answer is 'I can't think of one'.
'Tell me about a design that didn't work' — testing self-awareness and whether you actually learn and iterate, not just present polished final outcomes.
Think of it like this
The soggy first batch of jalebis
Your first jalebis come out soggy. A good cook doesn't hide the plate. They figure out the oil wasn't hot enough, fix it, and the next batch is crisp. Interviewers want that cook: someone who notices, understands and adjusts.
Watch it happen
Structuring a 'what failed' answer
1/5The idea: 'I added a swipe gesture to delete items in a grocery app.'
The big ideas
What you need to know
Pick a real failure
Choose something that truly didn't work, not a humble-brag like 'I worked too hard'.
Own your part
Don't blame the PM or the client. Focus on what you could control.
End with growth
Spend most time on what you learned and how you work differently now.
Keep it short
Two minutes is enough. Long failure stories start to sound like excuses.
Save yourself the pain
Common mistakes
Oops
Saying you've never had a design fail.
Do this instead
Every designer has. Saying none suggests you don't test or don't reflect.
Oops
Picking a disaster that makes you look careless.
Do this instead
Pick a reasonable idea that failed for an understandable reason, and show the fix.
Your mission
Find your failure story
Quick check
What's the interviewer really checking with 'tell me about a design that failed'?
Go deeper
- 1Prepare a genuine story, even a small failed exploration from a case study, not a humble-brag.
- 2Focus more time on what you learned and changed than on the failure itself.
- 3Practice owning your part in it directly, without deflecting blame to stakeholders or users.
More portfolio & case studies at this stop
Presenting a Case Study
Design Decision Justification Questions
Stuck on this topic? Ask an Insider
Get 1:1 guidance from people who've walked this exact path — on the InsideEdge app.
