This article by Melody Koh offers a structured guide to succeeding in whiteboarding interviews, tailored specifically for product designers. Drawing from her experience as a hiring manager, facilitator, and interviewee, Koh outlines a balanced perspective on what interviewers are really looking for. Rather than treating whiteboarding as a design execution test, she positions it as an opportunity to showcase strategic thinking, problem framing, and collaboration.
The piece walks through practical techniques—like structuring your thought process, narrating tradeoffs, managing scope, and asking clarifying questions—that help candidates navigate ambiguous challenges under time pressure. Koh emphasizes mindset as much as mechanics, encouraging designers to be confident communicators rather than aiming for perfection. This is a valuable resource for anyone preparing for UX or product design interviews where systems thinking and communication are key evaluation areas.
