How To Answer

Explanation: This question aims to evaluate your ability to design products that meet both user needs and business objectives. Interviewers want to see how you manage to find a middle ground between user-centric design and meeting company goals.

How to Respond: Use the STAR method to explain the context, your decision-making process, and how you balanced both sides effectively.

Example Answer

Sample Answer 1:

• Situation: "In a previous role, I was working on redesigning an e-commerce checkout flow for a client. The client wanted to add several upsell options during checkout to increase average order value, but this could potentially overwhelm users."
• Task: "I had to find a way to integrate the upsells without negatively impacting the user experience and conversion rates."
• Action: "I conducted user research through surveys and user testing to understand how users felt about upselling in the checkout process. Based on this, I designed a subtle, non-intrusive upsell section that appeared after the user had entered their payment information, allowing them to decide without disrupting the flow. I also worked closely with the marketing team to ensure the upsell opportunities aligned with business goals."
• Result: "The new checkout flow increased upsell conversions by 15%, while the overall user satisfaction and conversion rate remained strong. The business was happy with the results, and users found the flow less intrusive."

Sample Answer 2:

• Situation: "I was tasked with designing a mobile app for a fitness startup. They wanted to include numerous features like community forums, in-app purchases, and personalized workout plans, but the user experience was becoming cluttered."
• Task: "I had to streamline the design to prioritize the features most important to users, while also ensuring the business goals (such as monetization) were achieved."
• Action: "I conducted user interviews and surveys to understand which features users valued the most. Based on the feedback, I created a clean and simple interface, placing core features like tracking workouts and progress at the forefront. I introduced in-app purchases as an optional upgrade without disrupting the user experience. I also ensured that premium features were subtly highlighted for users who might be interested in them."
• Result: "The app's retention rate increased by 25%, and the business saw a 10% increase in paid subscriptions due to the clear value proposition of the premium features."