IDEO Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 124 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
30 roles · 124 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at IDEO.
IDEO
VP Strategy
Executive Difficult Positive experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite Panel Group Presentation Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
Interviews were challenging yet equitable. The team interviews involved knowledgeable individuals who were friendly but clear on what they sought. The process was entirely remote with a relaxed dress code. Be well-prepared, confident in your knowledge, ready for tough questions, and have your examples in order.
Confirmed questions1 question
- How do you define strategy, and can you give examples?
IDEO
Business Development Associate
Entry Average Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Take home Presentation Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation Other
The interview process had 4 rounds. The last round was an in-person presentation to 3 people at the Cambridge office. The presentation topic was about what IDEO is currently working on, which felt like free work, especially since they asked for my slides afterward (which I declined). They took another 2 weeks after the 4th round to give me a decision. The whole process took 7 weeks. It seemed like they weren't serious about hiring and just wanted free consulting because the company seems to be having issues. I got the vibe that the company is very disorganized and doesn't respect candidates' time and effort. It was really frustrating.
Confirmed questions1 question
- What makes you want to join IDEO?
IDEO
Content Writer
Mid Difficult Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation Other
After I sent in my application with writing samples, I had a phone screen. Then, I had separate video calls with the team director and later with three or four team members. This part took weeks. They gave me more "homework," which I completed. It seemed to go well, and they invited me for an onsite interview. However, the night before my flight, they called to cancel, stating they wanted a different writing voice. This felt odd and unprofessional, especially since they had my writing samples from the start and never asked for different voices. It was disheartening to experience such disrespect and disorganization, canceling so late after I'd already invested time and effort.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you tell me about your background?
IDEO
Design Director
Director Easy Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call
Interview formats
Behavioral
The interview process at IDEO, a well-known design consultancy, was surprisingly handled for a director-level position. The first interview was short and mainly focused on salary, with little detail about the actual role. The recruiter was upfront about the salary budget, which they acknowledged was low for a senior role requiring 15+ years of experience, significant responsibilities, and 40% travel. I expressed interest but needed time to consider the compensation, which seemed low compared to similar positions. Despite the recruiter bringing up the low range first, I was ghosted afterward, which was disappointing and reflects poorly on the company's culture.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- What draws you to this position and what aspects of your background align with the requirements?
- Can you elaborate on your experience and how it makes you suitable for this role?
IDEO Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from IDEO interview reports.
“When faced with a completely novel invention, how would you determine its price?”
Read reports →“What are the cost and income/benefits of the key ideas I suggest (to assess viability)?”
Read reports →“In what ways does the work of an environmental designer at IDEO differ from more conventional landscape design roles?”
Read reports →“How would you explain a business model to someone without a business background?”
Read reports →“If a senior manager urgently needed to print a document, how would you handle it?”
Read report →“Can you describe how your research findings could influence design, especially in cases where the research didn't directly lead to design decisions?”
Read report →“Could you describe what you understand an environmental designer does at IDEO?”
Read report →“Can you share an example of a speech that you found particularly motivating and explain why?”
Read report →“If you were running late for a meeting but an emergency arose with a coachee, what would you do?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 124 IDEO interview reports.