What is a UX/UI Designer at Meta?

At Meta, the role typically referred to as Product Designer is far more than just a visual or interface design position. You are expected to be a strategic product partner who helps define what is being built, not just how it looks. Designers at Meta play a central role in shaping the experiences that connect billions of people across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Reality Labs.

This role requires a true generalist skillset. You will be involved in every aspect of the product development process, from high-level brainstorming and defining product strategy to crafting intricate interaction flows and tweaking pixels right before launch. The scope is massive; a small design change you make could impact the daily interactions of millions of users globally. You are expected to balance business goals with user needs, leveraging data and research to justify every design decision.

Candidates should understand that Meta values "Product Thinking" heavily. You are not just executing requirements handed down from Product Managers; you are expected to drive the product vision alongside them. Whether you are working on 2D mobile apps or immersive AR/VR experiences in Reality Labs, the core expectation is the same: solving complex human problems with elegant, scalable, and intentional design solutions.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for a design interview at Meta requires a shift in mindset. You need to move beyond showing "good work" to demonstrating the process and intent behind that work. Meta interviewers are trained to dig deep into the "why" of your decisions.

You will be evaluated on the following key criteria:

Product Thinking This is the ability to define the problem space and user value. Interviewers assess whether you can articulate who you are designing for, what their specific problems are, and how your design solves those problems while meeting business objectives. You must show you can think strategically, not just visually.

Interaction Design You must demonstrate excellence in defining how a user moves through a system. This involves information architecture, flow, hierarchy, and usability. Interviewers look for logic in your navigation patterns and how you handle edge cases or complex states.

Visual Design (Craft) Meta prides itself on high-quality execution. You need to show a strong grasp of typography, layout, color, and system design. Your work should feel polished and modern, demonstrating that you care about the details that create a delightful experience.

Intentionality This is perhaps the most critical Meta-specific trait. Every pixel and every flow decision must have a reason. If an interviewer asks, "Why did you put this button here?" or "Why did you choose this list view over a grid?", "It looked better" is not an acceptable answer. You must tie decisions back to user goals, data, or usability principles.

Proactive Collaboration Meta is a bottom-up culture where designers are expected to lead. You need to demonstrate how you work with cross-functional partners (Engineering, Research, PM) to resolve conflicts and drive the product forward without waiting for permission.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for Product Designers at Meta is rigorous, structured, and designed to test your skills in real-time. It generally moves faster than at other large tech companies, but the bar for quality is extremely high. The process typically begins with a recruiter screen to assess your background and interest, followed by a Past Work Review (portfolio screen) with a peer designer.

If you pass the screen, you will move to the "Onsite" loop (currently virtual), which is a full day of back-to-back interviews. This loop is distinct because it separates skills into specific sessions: a deep-dive portfolio presentation, a live app critique, a problem-solving/whiteboarding session, and a behavioral interview. Unlike some companies that combine these, Meta keeps them distinct to score you specifically on different axes (e.g., specific feedback on your "Product Thinking" vs. your "Craft").

Expect the interviewers to be active participants. They will interrupt you. In the context of Meta, this is not usually a sign of disrespect, but rather a method to gauge the depth of your knowledge and your ability to defend your design decisions under pressure. The culture values moving fast and open debate, so the interview style reflects this dynamic environment.

The visual timeline above outlines the standard flow. Use this to structure your preparation: spend the early phase polishing your case studies for the screen, then pivot to practicing live "App Critiques" and "Whiteboarding" exercises for the final loop, as these require real-time performance skills that cannot be purely memorized.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Meta separates its evaluation into distinct session types. Understanding the goal of each session is critical to your success.

Portfolio Presentation (Past Work)

This is the foundation of your interview. You will present 2 (sometimes 3) projects to a panel. This is not just a slideshow of your final UI; it is a narrative of your problem-solving journey.

Be ready to go over:

• The Problem Statement: clearly defining the user problem and business opportunity before showing any UI.
• Your Role: explicitly stating what you did versus what the team/researchers did. Use "I" statements, not just "We."
• The Process: showing early sketches, messy iterations, and failed concepts. Meta wants to see the path, not just the destination.
• Outcomes: quantitative data or qualitative success metrics that prove your design worked.

Example scenarios:

• "Walk us through a project where you had to pivot based on user research."
• "Show us a complex interaction challenge you solved and the iterations it took to get there."

App Critique

This is a signature Meta interview format. You and an interviewer will pick a mobile app (often one you choose, sometimes assigned) and critique it together in real-time on your phone.

Be ready to go over:

• Product Strategy: Who is this app for? How does it make money? What is the primary value proposition?
• Interaction Design: analyzing navigation patterns, gestures, and feedback mechanisms.
• Visual Design: critiquing typography, spacing, consistency, and brand feeling.
• Improvement Suggestions: proactively suggesting how you would fix a friction point you identify during the critique.

Example scenarios:

• "Let's open Spotify/Yelp/Google Maps. Critique the home screen experience."
• "Analyze the 'Create' flow in this app. What is working well and what is confusing?"

Problem Solving (Whiteboarding)

You will be given an abstract, open-ended prompt and asked to design a solution in real-time (usually 45 minutes). This tests your ability to navigate ambiguity.

Be ready to go over:

• Framework Application: using a structure (e.g., "Who, What, Why, How") to break down the prompt before drawing.
• User Journey Mapping: sketching out the end-to-end flow rather than jumping straight to high-fidelity UI.
• Trade-offs: explicitly stating what you are choosing not to build and why.

Example scenarios:

• "Design an interface for a smart elevator system in a high-rise building."
• "Design a social experience for people traveling solo."
• "How would you improve accessibility on Instagram?"

Behavioral & Background

This session focuses on your soft skills, collaboration style, and alignment with Meta's values (like "Move Fast" and "Live in the Future").

Be ready to go over:

• Conflict Resolution: specific examples of disagreements with engineers or PMs.
• Self-Reflection: discussing your weaknesses or a project that failed.
• Cross-functional Leadership: how you influenced a team without having direct authority.

Key Responsibilities

As a Product Designer at Meta, your daily work involves end-to-end ownership of the user experience. You are not handed wireframes to "pretty up"; you are expected to generate the concepts yourself. You will take broad, conceptual ideas—often ambiguous ones—and distill them into useful, valuable interfaces for billions of users.

Collaboration is the heartbeat of the role. You will drive partnerships with Product Managers to define strategy, Engineers to ensure feasibility and high-quality implementation, and User Researchers to validate your assumptions. You are responsible for overseeing the user experience from the initial whiteboard session all the way to "tweaking pixels" right before launch.

Additionally, the role requires strong communication skills. You must be willing to represent your work to broader product teams and leadership. This involves clearly and succinctly communicating your design goals, the rationale behind your concepts, and how your work impacts the company's broader mission of building community.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

Meta looks for candidates who can hit the ground running. The requirements balance technical craft with strategic maturity.

Must-Have Skills

• 4+ years of experience shipping complex software products (web or mobile).
• Portfolio Strength: A strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design, interaction design, and visual design.
• Prototyping Proficiency: High competence in tools like Figma, Principle, or Origami. You must be able to demonstrate your interactions, not just static screens.
• Strategic Thinking: Experience using data and research to inform design strategy, not just visual decisions.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Emerging Tech: Experience with AR/VR, 3D interactions, or Unity (highly preferred for Reality Labs roles).
• System Design: Experience building or maintaining complex design systems.
• Domain Expertise: Specialized background in specific areas like marketplace dynamics, messaging platforms, or developer tools.

Common Interview Questions

The following questions are drawn from recent candidate experiences at Meta. While the specific prompts vary, they generally fall into the categories of portfolio defense, real-time critique, and behavioral reflection. Do not memorize answers; instead, prepare the stories and frameworks that allow you to answer these flexibly.

Portfolio & Craft

• "Why did you choose this specific navigation pattern over a tab bar?"
• "What was the most difficult constraint you faced in this project, and how did you design around it?"
• "If you had two more weeks to work on this, what would you change?"
• "Show me a specific interaction detail in this flow that you are proud of."
• "How did you validate this design before it went into development?"

App Critique (Product Thinking)

• "Open [App Name]. Who do you think is the primary persona for this specific feature?"
• "Why do you think the designers chose to put the 'Search' bar at the top instead of the bottom?"
• "How does this visual style support the brand's goal of trust/safety/fun?"
• "If you were the lead designer for this app, what implies the biggest risk in this current flow?"

Behavioral & Collaboration

• "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a Product Manager's strategy. How did you handle it?"
• "Describe a time you had to compromise on your design quality to meet a deadline."
• "Tell me about a time you received critical feedback that you didn't agree with."
• "How do you build trust with engineering partners who are skeptical of design changes?"

These questions are based on real interview experiences from candidates who interviewed at this company. You can practice answering them interactively on Dataford to better prepare for your interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I choose the app for the App Critique? Yes, typically the interviewer will ask you to choose an app on your phone. However, you should avoid Meta products (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) and apps that are too simple (like the Calculator or Clock). Pick a widely used app with some complexity (e.g., Spotify, Yelp, Google Maps, Airbnb) so you have enough to talk about.

Q: How high-fidelity should my whiteboard solution be? The focus is on the idea and the flow, not the art. Do not waste time drawing perfect icons or shading buttons. Use boxes, arrows, and text labels. The interviewer is judging your thinking process, not your ability to draw a straight line.

Q: What is the difference between UX/UI and Product Designer at Meta? Meta almost exclusively uses the title "Product Designer." This signals that the role is broader than just UI (User Interface) or UX (User Experience). You are expected to be a product owner who uses design as a tool to solve business problems, rather than a service provider who just executes designs.

Q: How long does the process take? The timeline can vary significantly. Some candidates report a very fast process (less than a month), while others experience delays during the team matching phase. Team matching often happens after you pass the interview loop, meaning you get a "hire" decision first, and then you meet with managers to find a specific seat.

Q: Is the interview process different for Reality Labs? The structure is very similar, but the content will differ. For Reality Labs, expect questions related to spatial design, 3D interactions, and hardware constraints. Your portfolio should ideally demonstrate an ability to think beyond 2D screens.

Other General Tips

Focus on "Intentionality" Above All If there is one word to remember for your Meta interview, it is "intentionality." You must have a reason for everything. If you cannot explain why a button is blue or why a modal slides up instead of fading in, you will lose points. Practice articulating the rationale behind even the smallest details.

Drive the App Critique During the App Critique, do not wait for the interviewer to ask every question. Drive the conversation. Narrate your experience as you use the app: "I'm tapping here expecting X, but Y happened. This suggests a disconnect in the mental model..." This shows leadership and observational skills.

Prepare for "The Interruptions" Meta interviewers are trained to probe. If they interrupt you, do not get defensive or flustered. They are likely trying to guide you back to the signal they need to collect (e.g., moving you from "process" to "outcome"). Listen to their redirection and pivot quickly.

Know Your Metrics Designers at Meta live and die by data. You don't need to be a data scientist, but you should understand basic concepts like retention, conversion, daily active users (DAU), and funnel drop-off. Be ready to discuss how your design changes would impact these metrics.

Summary & Next Steps

The Product Designer role at Meta is one of the most influential design positions in the tech industry. It offers the chance to work at a scale where even minor usability improvements can save millions of hours of human time collectively. However, the interview process is demanding. It requires you to be a complete designer—one who can strategize with PMs, debate execution with engineers, and produce pixel-perfect work, all while moving at a rapid pace.

To succeed, focus your preparation on articulating your design rationale. Review your past projects and ask yourself "why" five times for every major decision. Practice the App Critique until you can fluidly deconstruct an app's strategy and interaction model on the fly. Meta is looking for designers who are opinionated, data-informed, and capable of navigating ambiguity with confidence.

The compensation data above reflects the high value Meta places on top-tier design talent. The wide ranges often account for different levels (e.g., IC3 vs. IC6) and the significant impact of RSU (stock) grants, which are a major component of total compensation at Meta.

You have the skills to succeed here. Approach the interview not as a test, but as a collaboration session where you are showing your future colleagues how you think and solve problems. Good luck!