How to Build a UX/UI Design Team That Delivers Results: A Guide for HR and Managers

In today's competitive market, finding the right UX/UI designer is no longer just about reviewing resumes and asking standard questions. Traditional recruitment methods often overlook real talent, and many companies unknowingly turn away quality candidates due to the wrong approach. For example, focusing solely on years of experience or degrees instead of actual skills can lead to missed opportunities. On the other hand, implementing practical tasks, clear role definitions, and a solid understanding of the UX/UI process not only attracts better candidates but also enables faster and more efficient team integration.

In this article, we explore why these methods are far more effective than traditional hiring approaches. We're also eager to hear about your experiences! If you've applied any of these methods or have your own ideas that have yielded great results, share them with us.

Let's go step by step

Recruiting UX/UI designers requires a tailored approach that differs from standard HR processes. Key issues and solutions include better collaboration between HR and design teams, clear team structures, and a focus on practical skills and user-centered thinking.

Key Problems and Solutions

1. HR Selection Without Understanding UX/UI

Problem:

• HR teams often focus on degrees, years of experience, and standardized questions instead of actual skills and competencies.
• Irrelevant questions are asked (e.g., "What is the difference between UX and UI?"), which do not assess real capabilities.

Solution:

• Involve the design team in the selection process: HR filters applications, but the final decision is made by the design team.
• Practical tasks: Instead of theoretical questions, candidates should solve real-world problems (e.g., "Design an onboarding screen for app X").
• Basic training for HR: HR teams need a basic understanding of UX/UI processes to recognize quality candidates.

2. Poor Design Team Structure

Problem:

• Unclear roles and responsibilities: New candidates often don’t know what is expected of them, leading to task overlap or, conversely, missed responsibilities.
• Lack of a standardized design system: Without clear guidelines, new designers waste time reinventing the wheel instead of focusing on innovative solutions.
• Poor communication with developers: Without regular meetings and clear processes, designers and developers work in silos, leading to misunderstandings and delays.

Solution:

• Defined roles: Clearly outline roles (e.g., UX designer, UI designer, researcher) and explain the responsibilities of each position. This helps new candidates quickly understand their role and integrate into the team.
• Implementation of a Design System: A design system allows new team members to quickly find ready-made solutions (e.g., components, colors, fonts) and focus on the creative aspects of their work. It also reduces the need for constant consultations with others.
• Regular retrospectives: Introduce regular meetings between designers and developers to resolve communication issues and improve collaboration. New candidates will feel supported and have the opportunity to quickly learn how the team operates.

Why is this important for hiring a new candidate?

• Clear roles: The new candidate knows what is expected of them, reducing stress and increasing productivity.
• Design system: A new team member can become productive quickly as they have access to ready-made solutions and guidelines.
• Regular communication: The new candidate feels included and supported, accelerating their integration into the team.

2.1 - How Does a Poor Team Structure Affect the Recruitment of a New Designer?

A) Unclear Roles and Responsibilities

Problem:

• If a team does not have a clearly defined structure (who does what), it becomes difficult to determine what skills and competencies are needed for a new team member.
• For example, if it is unclear who handles UX and who handles UI, HR and interviewers won’t know what to focus on when evaluating candidates.

Impact on Recruitment:

• Poorly defined criteria: If roles are unclear, job postings and interview questions will be vague or generic, attracting the wrong candidates.
• Difficulty in assessment: Interviewers won’t know how to properly evaluate candidates because they don’t have a clear understanding of the specific skills required.

Why This Matters for Recruitment:

• Clear roles enable HR and interviewers to know what skills and experience to look for in a candidate.
• For example, if you’re hiring a UX designer, you know to focus on user research, wireframes, and prototypes, rather than just visual design.

How to Implement:

• Before recruitment, define team roles (e.g., UX designer, UI designer, researcher) and clearly outline the responsibilities of each position.

B) Lack of a Design System

Problem:

• If a team lacks a standardized design system (e.g., components, styles, guidelines), new team members must "reinvent the wheel" instead of utilizing existing solutions.

Impact on Recruitment:

• Unclear practical tasks: Without a design system, practical tasks for candidates may be vague or irrelevant, as they won’t reflect the actual workflow of the team.
• Difficult integration: Candidates going through the recruitment process may be confused when they realize that the team lacks clear guidelines, which can create a poor first impression.

Why This Matters for Recruitment:

• A design system makes it easier to evaluate candidates because you can assess how well they work with existing components and guidelines.
• Candidates will also see that the team has an organized workflow, making the company more attractive to high-quality professionals.

How to Implement:

• Develop a design system before recruitment and incorporate it into practical tasks (e.g., "Using our components, improve this interface").

C) Poor Communication with Developers

Problem:

If designers and developers do not communicate well, it can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and frustration.

Impact on Recruitment:

• Unclear expectations: Candidates may be confused if they notice during interviews that designers and developers do not work in sync, indicating a poor team culture.
• Difficulty in evaluation: If internal team communication is weak, it becomes harder to assess how well a candidate will fit into the team dynamic.

Why This Matters for Recruitment:

• Good team communication signals to candidates that the team is well-organized and values collaboration.
• It also allows for a better evaluation of candidates, as you can observe how they interact within the team.

How to Implement:

• Include team members (e.g., developers) in the recruitment process to evaluate how well the candidate communicates and collaborates.

?Conclusion: A poorly structured design team can negatively impact recruitment by making it difficult to define required skills, evaluate candidates, and create a good first impression. By improving team structure (clear roles, a design system, and strong communication), you will not only attract better candidates but also make their integration into the team much smoother.

3. Poor Top-Down Decisions

Problem:

• Management makes decisions without understanding user needs.
• Focus on quick solutions rather than quality UX.
• Lack of time for research and iteration.

Solution:

• Involve designers in strategic decisions: UX is not just about aesthetics but a key part of the product.
• User testing: Validate decisions with real data.
• Balance speed and quality: Allow time for research and testing.

1. Portfolio Review

A portfolio alone is not enough. It’s crucial to ask the right questions:

• What were the biggest challenges in this project, and how did you solve them?"
• How did you make design decisions?"
• Did you test your solutions with users?"
• What would you change now if you had the chance?

2. Practical Tasks

• Mini live task: If there are doubts about the authenticity of the portfolio, ask the candidate to design a simple wireframe (e.g., for a checkout page).
• Take-home assignment: Design exercises lasting 2-4 hours (e.g., "Improve the checkout process for an e-commerce site"). Focus on the thought process, not just the final solution.

3. Live UX Brainstorming

• Present the candidate with a real UX problem.
• Allow them to ask questions and propose solutions.
• Observe their thought process: Do they focus on the user? Do they seek data before making decisions?

4. Soft Skills and Teamwork

UX/UI design is a team effort. Ask questions like:

• How do you collaborate with developers?
• How do you handle negative feedback?
• How do you resolve conflicts within a team?

? Conclusion: A combination of portfolio review, practical tasks, live brainstorming sessions, and soft skills evaluation provides the best insight into a candidate. The key is to focus on the thought process and real-world skills, not just theoretical knowledge. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that HR and design teams collaborate effectively and that management understands the importance of UX/UI design in creating quality products.

?? Additional Recommendations

• Continuous process monitoring: Regularly evaluate and improve the recruitment process to adapt to industry changes.
• Training for HR and management: Organize workshops to help all stakeholders better understand the importance and specifics of UX/UI design