1. Tell us what kind of smartphone do you use?
This is a no brainer! You're going to be developing apps for mobile so your smartphone is one of your main tools. I bet you're not going to have any problem answering this but it will be good that you demonstrate familiarity and knowledge on how to use more than one OS and brand.
2. Tell us what kind of special features can you create?
Apps rarely grab consumers' attention without truly innovative and useful features. Figure out the bells and whistles you'd like and then assess your developer's capabilities. For example, can your candidate add 3-D gaming, social media sharing, GPS check-ins or product coupon elements to your app?
3. Tell us how do you incorporate current design trends in your work?
This question should help you see how thoughtful a designer is. Good prospects should be up-to-date on the latest design trends and able to articulate how they've used those trends in their recent work while putting their own spin on them.
4. Tell me do you have any project in development at the moment?
Show interest on what they are doing, discuss some details and make some relevant suggestions about their projects.
5. Tell us how will we communicate during the development process?
The quality of your app often depends on how clearly and often you communicate your app design and functionality requirements throughout the development process.
6. Tell us how do you handle pressure and tight deadlines?
Good designers are thorough and thoughtful, but they should also be able to prioritize and deliver assets under pressure.
7. Explain me about some of the disadvantages of both Android and iOS?
If you are developing an app for an specific platform, you are expected to know which are the disadvantages of that platform. Here you can mention the technical issues you have found when developing for each platform, and also the ways to solve those problems. It's important that you're specific and provide examples.
8. Do you know what are the disadvantages of automated testing?
Automated testing does not represent reality. Real time testing helps you to check for yourself how an application behaves on a particular device. If the automated software does not have access to a particular device, you may miss out on that. Moreover, comprehensive app testing programs are expensive. Last but not the least, all the areas of testing cannot be automated. Ensure that you have all these points in mind, and your interview should go well no matter what.
9. Tell me have you created an app that's in the iTunes or Android store?
The surest way to display your experience is through your own app on one of the mobile app storefronts. If you have that, you have instant credibility since you not only know mobile application development, but the process to submit and get an app into iTunes or other stores.
10. Tell me what do you understand by comparison testing?
This is a question that looks difficult but is framed in such a manner. Comparison is nothing but comparing your application with that of your competitor. All that you would do during comparison testing is to compare the app you have developed with that of your competitors'. You could compare the speed, quality, user interface, quality and other parameters as decided by you or your client.
11. Tell us how effective is Google's material design for the user interface?
Material design is a visual information provided by Google, it includes elements and principles of good design, the colors to use in the various sphere from science and technology. Answering this question will provide the updated information a designer has in the domain of visual design and information. How effectively that information can be used for the benefit of the product.
Sharing the opinions and thoughts on the various platforms of mobile and website domain, its effectiveness in design and how relevant it is in the world of design.
12. Tell me what kind of smartphone do you use?
This question can provide insight into how passionate and knowledgeable a candidate is about specific mobile platforms, Thawar says. "If you're telling me that you can build an app for an iPhone, then you should have an iPhone, you should be playing with the apps that you are building and also playing with other people's apps on a very regular basis." The same goes for Android and BlackBerry.
13. Do you know how will 3D Touch technology from Apple change the interface?
Force Touch technology does not enable truly new gestures, it is simply an extension of gestures we are already familiar with. It will help designers and developers to add a Z-axis in order to provide more depth of information on a top layer without touching or overcomplicating the Information Architecture underneath.
14. Explain me how do you compress your images to optimize performance?
Most designers like to work with high-resolution images, but this can create problems for users on older computers or who have anything less than a blazing fast Internet connection, and ultimately hurt your SEO efforts. Designers can avoid this by compressing their images (reducing the resolution and shrinking the file size without altering the dimensions). This can easily be done in Photoshop, but other web tools exist as well.
15. Tell us how you see yourself as a UI designer in coming future?
The future of UI design is immense as the world is shifting more and more towards internet life, from computers to mobile phones. Each day new technology is coming up which is making the life easier for the people. As a UI designer, this question is important to answer as to how do you see yourself in coming future. This is another question for the employer as they can learn about it if you are planning to switch jobs and companies or for how long you intend to be part of the employer.
The clarity of your future gives a clear idea to the employer about your dedication, hard work and efforts you are willing to put in your work and how much of a risk taker you will be.
16. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now as Mobile Apps Designer?
Interview questions cannot get more cliched than this one. Nevertheless, they are still asked. Your focus should be on revealing that you would like to remain updated with newer software programs, languages, app designing skills and continued learning.
17. Tell me how do you manage the difference with your UX designer?
Every team or even no two people can have the same opinion about something. As a UI designer, it is crucial to work in a team and be a strong team player, but it is natural that differences crop up in a team. Generally, the differences tend to come up a lot between a UI and UX designer in a team, since both have a different perception of their work and they want to be the alpha in the team.
Therefore, it is important for the employer to know how the designer will manage the differences that will come up. The process of communication with the team and effectiveness of the same matters the most. So as not to hamper with the result and finding the best solution for the problems.
18. Tell me how do you handle security issues?
Security is always a very delicate subject especially when talking about mobile devices. Show your knowledge about security and expose your ideas about how to minimize security issues in the app they are creating. Get informed, was there a recent attack to a specific type of software? Mention it and be prepared to explain how you would have solved it.
19. Tell us what is your expertise as a UI designer?
There is always one area where a UI designer is comfortable and really good at it. The kind of client and the kind of media they work the best is like the mobile app or websites. Rather than mentioning only one area of expertise, it is good to discuss the past experience or projects where the work was new and was able to reach the desired results. These days employers are looking for versatile employees who can multi-task and has the capability to crack the difficult project. Hence, it is best to share your knowledge but best not to restrict yourself. Share what is close to your heart and what keeps you interested the most.
20. Tell me why did you choose designing as a profession?
This is a question that is so cliched that it does not require to be on the list of cliches either. Nevertheless, this is also one of those questions that leave many app developers and testers dumbfounded. Take a moment's deep breath and think. Why did you choose to be an app developer? Well, because it is exciting, and you always learn something new and you get to be creative. This is what an app tester or developer's job is all about. Your recruiter just wants to know if you are happy about your profession or you are not. If you are, then show it to them that you are. It is as simple as that.
21. Tell me what is the average working day of a UI designer?
As a UI designer, they are one of the crucial members of a team built by UX designer, developer and much more. While answering this question, one need to mention how a day begins with discussing with the team about the work, problem, key areas to focus on. This will provide an idea that a UI designer is a team player and is in constant touch with their team to build an effective design.
They need to mention about how they visualize the idea and how to plan to achieve it. Understanding the limitations and the concerns in the design, especially after discussing with the UX designer. How they plan to tackle these issues with an effective result. Also, don't forget to allot some time in your day, to read about the newer developments happening in the industry.
22. Tell me what are micro-interactions and why should we use them?
Micro-interactions are small, visual enhancements (for example, an animation or a sound) occurring around a use case. These scenarios may include completing a transaction, flagging an item, or prompting a pop-up message. Such interactions are subtle, but they differentiate the product by pointing the user's attention to the right element.
Micro-interactions may be leveraged as a signal to prompt the user while accomplishing a task (adjusting a setting, for instance), thus creating a small piece of content such as a pop-up message. Apps with well designed micro-interactions are considered easier to use, more fun, and more engaging by their users.
23. Tell us how do you design with website performance in mind?
Your web developer will be responsible for most of the performance optimization on your website. And there are a lot of ways to optimize a website's performance.
However, your designer should definitely mention compressing images to reduce loading times. (Studies show that long page loading times can drive visitors away. Your bounce rate is the number of people who go to just one page on the site and leave immediately. It's widely believed that Google factors bounce rates into its results, so fast loading times and low bounce rates are important for SEO.)
Other topics to consider are what sort of mobile design to use (responsive sites vs. an entirely separate mobile site), making sure pages load progressively, and limiting the number of fonts on a page. Good designers may also talk about working directly with your developers and communicating frequently during the implementation process.
24. Do you know how can my app make money?
If your primary goal is to generate revenue with your app, the developer needs to know exactly how to build in features that will allow you to make money. You could opt for a pay-per-download revenue model, charging, say, between 99 cents and $4.99, depending on how many features your app offers.
If you opt for a free app, be sure the candidate is well versed in how to integrate mobile display ads, in-app purchases or paid subscription services.
25. Do you know how does one manually test the performance of a design?
Well, this is what we do all the time, if we are not running those fancy app testing tools. In an open device lab or a private one, we use stop watches and perform certain actions to check if it loads fast. Or, you may even go ahead and say that you mentally calculate the time if you do not have access to a stop watch on your phone (which is next to impossible). The bottom-line is, this is one of the questions that is asked for the sake of asking. You must stand your ground and not be overcome with nervousness or fear.
Along with device platform guidelines, the designer should consider accessibility guidelines for a range of users. Design for people who are young, old, power users, casual users, and those who just enjoy a quality experience. Embrace these accessibility guidelines as you would any set of design constraints. They are part of the challenge of creating amazing products.
Your goal should be to find someone capable of solving design problems, not someone who creates them. Great designers shouldn't resist making changes to their work, and mature designers appreciate and incorporate constructive feedback.
Beautiful, compelling icons are a fundamental part of a good user experience. Far from being merely decorative, icons play an essential role in communicating with users. Focus on a unique shape; some icons have many colors or they feature gradients, but they all start with a simple shape. That allows them to be recognizable at a distance and at a glance. Icons are seen in a range of different sizes. They are large in the App store, get small on the home screen and even smaller in the notification centre and in groups. Make sure your design scales well and is clear at any size.
The designer should also test the icon on different wallpapers; while it might look great against a traditional backdrop, iOS raindrops for example, there's no guarantee it looks great on all wallpapers. And try grouping your designs into folders to evaluate how they look.
This is where you show off your work and talk about your experience. Point out the role you played in the development of each project and the difficulties you encountered when creating it. If you haven't yet developed any professional app yet, you can show off the apps you have developed on your own or as school practices. It is a great idea to create an open source app before you apply for jobs.
This is an opportunity for the designer to show you how they approach their work. You want to look for evidence that a candidate thinks hard about the problem they're trying to solve, and that they are committed to seeing the design through to the end. You also want to make sure that as a client you have opportunities to review the work and give feedback.
31. Please explain about a time the scope of a project changed midway through. How did you respond?
Nobody likes it when the direction or scope of a project shifts, but it happens. How a professional responds in this situation will tell you a lot about what they're like to work with.
32. Tell me what is the difference between priority and severity?
Severity refers to the consequence of a bug or a fault within an application and how serious that fault really is. Severity is something that an app developer must always be aware of. It tells a developer how serious a bug is when it comes to an app's functionality. On the other hand, priority refers to how important a bug is with respect to customers.
For instance, Apple may one day realize that its Calendar application has certain bugs that are high in ‘severity'. The users may not realize it, but the Calendar app on the iOS platform may have certain security issues. On the other hand, when iPhone's battery heats up after a software update, it is high on a customer's priority. One cannot say which one is more important than the other.
One can rather put it this way: as an app developer, you must constantly be looking for a bug's severity, whether you receive complaints or you don't. On the other hand, peering through all the consumer feedback helps you to assign priority to certain bugs.
Good designers should be able to defend and support their work in a professional, respectful way. You want designers who believe enough in their work not to be steamrolled but also who won't be difficult to work with or refuse to adapt.
34. Tell me when a client asks you to design a website, what are the first questions you ask?
This question is designed to give you insight into the web designer's thought process. A good designer doesn't jump in blindly; good questions include “What isn't working on the current website?,” “Who is the target audience for this project?,” or “What are you optimizing for?”
With the integration of gyroscopes and motion sensors, smart devices are able to detect movement. With this, the interaction between the user and the device extends beyond the click and tap, bringing real-life gestures to the screen.
Users are intuitive about gestures. When asked how to delete an item, users tried to move the item out of the screen regardless of age, sex and gender. Enhancing the user experience with fewer taps or scrolling allows applications to become more interactive.
