Physical Product Designer Interview Question:

Tell me how do you work with engineers/Product Managers/other designers?

Submitted by: Muhammad

The ability to empathize and understand the motivation of those you work with is crucial. Engineers, PMs, and other designers all come with their own particular needs and goals and if you can demonstrate your sensitivity to them, you'll be well received.
☛ Engineers: I've found that providing especially close attention to interaction design and accounting for edge cases is important. Engineers are responsible for building the product - making sure that your interactions function properly for all use cases will save your engineer friends time and frustration. Also, try to speak their language - learn how to code. Being confident in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a great start.
☛ PMs: I emphasize communication, storytelling, and tradeoffs. PMs manage deadlines, appeal to admins and keep projects running smoothly. Make sure you and your PM are sync'd. Being able to tell a powerful story about your design will also help to make their job easier when trying to persuade other stakeholders.
☛ Designers: Show, don't tell. Focus your attention toward the design problem instead of individual design preferences. Working with other designers is an incredible opportunity for collaboration and can push you to better work. When working with other designers, sometimes I like to practice pair design - it's a great way to develop shared ownership over the work and push your individual design limits.
Submitted by: Muhammad