A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Product Design Whiteboard Interviews
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Chapter 1: Understanding Whiteboard Interviews
Whiteboard interviews have become a valuable tool for assessing the skills of product design candidates. This method allows hiring teams to observe how candidates approach design tasks in real-time, providing insights into their thought processes, collaboration skills, and personality traits.
Last week, I discussed the drawbacks of take-home assignments in the hiring process. In this article, I will introduce the concept of whiteboard interviews, a practice increasingly adopted by organizations to gauge the capabilities of potential hires. This guide is especially useful for design managers and leads seeking to implement this strategy effectively. However, designers at all experience levels—junior, mid, or senior—can also gain valuable insights from this discussion.
It's worth noting that this article won't delve into specific task examples due to the complexity of the topic, which I plan to address in a future piece. Now, let’s dive into what a whiteboard interview entails.
What Is a Whiteboard Interview?
A whiteboard interview involves a collaborative task where a candidate works alongside team members on a product design challenge. The primary objective is not to reach a final design solution, but rather to evaluate the candidate's design process, cognitive approach, and teamwork skills.
The Unique Aspects of Whiteboard Interviews
Candidates typically prepare for standard interviews by reviewing common questions, which can lead to rehearsed responses. However, whiteboard interviews present unexpected challenges, allowing evaluators to observe genuine problem-solving abilities as candidates navigate unfamiliar tasks. This format also enables the assessment of soft skills, which can be harder to gauge in traditional interviews. For instance, it becomes clear whether candidates can take initiative and drive discussions—critical traits for successful product designers.
The Advantages of Whiteboard Interviews
- Equal Time Investment: Both the candidate and the interviewers dedicate the same amount of time to the challenge, fostering a sense of fairness. This contrasts with take-home assignments, where candidates often invest extensive hours without equivalent time from the hiring team.
- Insight into Thought Processes: Encouraging candidates to verbalize their thinking allows interviewers to understand their reasoning. Additionally, the questions candidates ask can reveal their comprehension of the task at hand.
- No External Assistance: Candidates work in real-time with the design team, providing a true reflection of their capabilities. Unlike take-home assignments, where candidates might receive help from mentors, whiteboard sessions ensure that the work is entirely the candidate's own.
- Evaluation of Soft Skills: Observing how candidates handle pressure, communicate with the team, and engage with others provides crucial insights into their fit within the company culture.
- Demonstration of Initiative: Candidates' preparation habits can be assessed by their familiarity with tools like Miro or Figjam, especially if they are given access beforehand.
In this section, I'll outline critical steps to take before, during, and after conducting a whiteboard interview.
Preparing for the Interview
Crafting the Whiteboard Exercise
The design task must align with your evaluation goals. Analyze a range of whiteboard exercises to create a relevant and challenging prompt that does not directly involve your company's product, preventing candidates from feeling they are solving real-world problems for free.
Preparing the Design Team
Share the task with team members at least three days prior to the interview, ensuring they are familiar with it and can ask for any necessary modifications. Assign roles to each team member to facilitate interaction during the session, such as having a developer or product manager present.
Measure Key Competencies
Clearly outline what you seek in candidates and share this with your team. For example, look for initiative, problem-solving skills, and teamwork abilities.
Sending Candidate Information
Ensure all team members receive the candidate's resume and portfolio beforehand to formulate relevant questions.
How to Manage Time During a Whiteboard Interview
A typical whiteboard interview should last between 60 to 75 minutes, structured as follows:
- 10 minutes for task presentation
- 30 minutes for candidate work
- 10 minutes for solution presentation
- 10 minutes for questions
Keep in mind that engagement is crucial; the interview should involve active discussion throughout, not just during the final presentation.
Remote vs. Onsite Interviews
For onsite interviews, prepare materials like paper, pens, and sticky notes. For remote sessions, ensure a stable internet connection and provide candidates with the link to the virtual whiteboard well in advance.
Inviting Candidates
Craft a clear invitation email outlining the interview structure, participant roles, and any required preparations. Here’s an example:
Subject: Invitation to Your Whiteboard Interview
Dear [Candidate's Name],
We are pleased to invite you to a whiteboard interview with our design team. During this session, you will collaborate in real-time with three team members on a design task we will present at the start of the interview.
The interview will last approximately 60 minutes, structured as follows:
- 10 minutes: Task presentation
- 30 minutes: Work session
- 10 minutes: Solution presentation
- 10 minutes: Questions
We will share a link to the Miro board three days prior to the interview. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Best,
[Your Team]
During the Interview
Engage with Cameras On
Request that all participants turn on their cameras to facilitate better communication and body language interpretation.
Introduce Participants
As the main interviewer, introduce the team members and have them briefly describe their roles, which will help the candidate feel more comfortable.
Clarify the Task
Ensure the candidate understands the task and encourage them to ask questions. Remind them to think aloud and explain their thought processes.
Keep Track of Time
Use a timer to help candidates manage their time effectively throughout the session.
Offer Support
Be empathetic to the candidate’s stress. If they appear stuck, guide them with open-ended questions to help them progress without directly solving the task for them.
What to Observe During the Interview
Monitor the candidate's communication, problem-solving approach, and their ability to ask insightful questions.
The Candidate’s Engagement: If a candidate remains silent, encourage them to articulate their thoughts.
Rushing to Solutions: Watch for candidates who jump to conclusions without fully exploring the problem or user needs.
Tool Familiarity: Candidates should demonstrate familiarity with the whiteboard tools used.
Final Thoughts
Before concluding the interview, thank the candidate for their participation and inform them about the next steps in the hiring process. Allow them to ask any final questions.
After the Interview
Evaluating Candidates
After the session, gather feedback from team members based on previously established criteria. Encourage them to share their thoughts independently to avoid bias.
Documentation
Documenting feedback is essential for both improving the hiring process and providing candidates with constructive criticism.
To summarize, this article outlines the significance of whiteboard interviews and provides a step-by-step guide for conducting them effectively. By focusing on candidates' thought processes and soft skills, you can find the right fit for your design team.
Thank you for reading! I hope this guide enhances your understanding of whiteboard interviews. Feel free to share it with colleagues, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. If you found this article helpful, consider following me for future insights.
Chapter 2: Additional Resources
Explore this insightful video on conducting product design whiteboarding mock interviews, featuring a Netflix product designer.
Watch this video that outlines a whiteboarding challenge as part of a product design mock interview, offering practical tips and techniques.