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Tell me about a time when you used teamwork skills to work through a problem.

 

In my ARBUS 300 class at the University of Waterloo in Fall 2015, we were divided into teams of five and were asked to undertake a project to learn about project management. Our team took on a democratic system as we brainstormed various ideas to explore what each opportunity had to offer. However, as the deadline approached we quickly realized that although we had a few plausible options, a decision needed to be made. We found ourselves faced with the problem of settling on one project idea that offered the greatest possibilities but did not require too many resources. One of our more developed ideas involved contacting an external stakeholder; however, their unknown response time was a hindering factor in the face of time shortage.

 

In light of this situation, meetings were conducted to discuss the feasibility of each option. Each member committed to arriving an hour prior to class to meet with the team. We began to formulate guidelines to streamline our scope within the given timeframe. Although we had already contacted a third party organization, we decided that we could not afford to wait upon their response. In the end, I took on an authoritative leadership role and arrived at a decision based on previous discussions. The final decision was made to initiate the project independently without collaborating with a third party, which would allow our team to be more flexible in planning and time management. This situation presented opportunities to learn about effective team communication and time management, whilst considering the involvement of external stakeholders.

 

Tell me about a time you used creativity and problem-solving skills to solve an important problem.

 

During my four-month internship as a User Experience Designer at Sony Network Entertainment in Spring 2015, the Design Team in which I was part of was presented the opportunity to redesign the PlayStation®Store website, particularly the online checkout process. Our task was to conceptualize an improved experience that would enforce security when purchasing media from the webstore. One main issue we recognized was that many users were reluctant to disclose credit card details when prompted; statistics revealed that the payment page had the greatest rate of cart abandonment in the entire checkout process.

 

After researching effective principles to enhance the e-commerce experience, we conducted a heuristic analysis of the current checkout process of PlayStation®Store to identify usability errors. Then based on the data we collected from research, we determined ways that they could be used for improvement. Keywords were generated, from which mock-ups and initial prototypes were developed for user testing. The prototypes were then further altered based on user feedback. As a result, our team managed to design an improved checkout process that provided users with a guest checkout option and alternative third party payment options for those who are reluctant to disclosing personal details. Customers who used the beta version noted that they felt more comfortable with the improved checkout process. This project was an opportunity for creative problem solving and teamwork.

 

Tell me about a time when you needed to make a difficult decision in school and what was the result.

 

One of the most difficult decisions I made in university was a program switch after my first year. The factors that led to considering an alternate program included field of interest, tuition fees, and employment opportunities. However, each option consisted of various pros and cons that I needed to weigh carefully.

 

This required strong organization and analytical skills when making judgments and documenting all procedures. I decided to meet with various academic advisors to discuss my options and gain further insight. Fortunately, because my program switch would be within the same faculty, the process would not be too difficult. Outside of meetings, I spent many hours independently researching potential career routes and program requirements, as well as university policies. Based on the research conducted, I developed an initial schedule and timeline to present to academic advisors. After some alterations and e-mail communication, I was eventually granted permission to switch into my current program. This was a valuable opportunity to learn to work with external parties and communicate within a professional context.

 

Tell me about a time when you needed to meet several hard-stop deadlines and how you handled it.

 

During my four-month internship as a Multimedia Designer at Toronto East General Hospital in Winter 2014, my responsibilities were divided between two different departments: the Department of Improvement Systems and the Department of Communications. Working under two different supervisors naturally meant overlapping projects and schedules. Strong multitasking and organization skills were needed to work on several projects at once whilst adhering to hard-stop deadlines.

 

Prior to the commencement of each project, I would meet with my respective supervisor to discuss the timeframe and level of urgency. As a result, tasks of greater importance would be prioritized while those of lesser importance would be put aside for the time being. I created two calendars to keep track of all projects at hand, one soft copy and one hard copy. In addition, I found that sticky notes were an extremely effective way to visualize each project, and allowed for simple rearrangement should their level of urgency change. The result of this was an efficient workflow that allowed me to visually keep track of projects at hand without missing deadlines.