IDEO Designer Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 16 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at IDEO.
IDEO
Design Lead
Lead Average Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Take home Onsite Panel Group Presentation Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation Case Group
It started with a recruiter call to check out my background. Then, I had an hour-long skills interview with two people where we talked a lot about design process. After that, there was an assignment and a live workshop with two people. The final interview was with a management leader to seal the deal.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you tell us why you're interested in IDEO?
- Describe your design process.
- Given this brief, how would you approach it?
IDEO
Designer
Entry Average Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
This was a remote interview that took place on an online platform. HR first reached out to set up the interview. After that, I connected with the main contact on the team. The interviewer was unprofessional and distant, which made for an awkward experience. They came across as entitled. It was a turn-off and left a bad impression. IDEO is seen as innovative in the design world, but their hiring process is flawed and not people-focused. If they weren't so arrogant, I would have thought highly of them. But not anymore. (This was my fourth time interviewing with them; I withdrew from two previous ones because of bad experiences.)
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you walk me through your background and experiences, and how you've tackled challenges, along with your views on design?
- Discuss your background, your experiences, how you have navigated obstacles, and your perspective on design.
- Share your background, experiences, approach to difficulties, and your understanding of design.
IDEO
Designer
Mid Average Positive experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Onsite Panel
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
So I had 3 interviews. First was just an intro, then I met 2 people I'd work with, and the last one was with a director. They looked at my portfolio twice and we talked about my past jobs, the job I was applying for, and how the company is set up. It took a while, but everyone was super nice and told me honestly why I didn't get the job, which I appreciated.
Confirmed questions7 questions
- Can you tell me about your greatest strengths?
- What about your weaknesses?
- What drives you?
IDEO Designer 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 constitutes a good user experience?”
Read reports →“What is your definition of design?”
Read reports →“What do you like best and least about Industrial Design?”
Read reports →“What changes would you make to this particular design?”
Read report →“Can you share an example of a speech that you found particularly motivating and explain why?”
Read report →“What are two of the best qualities you feel that a Designer should have?”
Read report →“What is your superpower?”
Read report →“How do you prioritize users in your design process?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 16 IDEO interview reports.