1. What is a UX/UI Designer at NIKE?

At NIKE, a UX/UI Designer (often referred to internally within Nike Digital Product Design) plays a pivotal role in shaping how athletes and consumers interact with the brand’s digital ecosystem. You are not just designing interfaces; you are creating the digital bridge between physical sport, culture, and commerce. This role involves crafting experiences for high-traffic platforms like the Nike App, SNKRS, Nike.com, and enterprise-grade internal tools (Nike.net) that power the company’s global operations.

The position sits at the intersection of high-fidelity visual design, user experience strategy, and brand storytelling. Unlike many tech-first companies where utility is the sole focus, NIKE demands that utility be matched with inspiration. You will be expected to solve complex business and consumer problems—such as personalizing product discovery or streamlining order management—while maintaining the premium, energetic aesthetic that defines the brand.

You will join a team that values "designing the future." Whether you are working on consumer-facing commerce experiences or the internal tools that help partners manage inventory, your work directly impacts revenue and the athlete experience. You will collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and researchers to turn abstract hypotheses into tangible, shippable products that serve millions of users worldwide.

2. Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparing for a design role at NIKE requires a shift in mindset. You are interviewing with a company that views itself as a storytelling organization as much as a product organization. Your preparation should focus not just on how you design, but why your designs matter to the user.

Key evaluation criteria for this role include:

Visual Craft and Storytelling NIKE places a premium on high-quality visuals. Interviewers will evaluate your ability to create polished, pixel-perfect interfaces that align with a strong brand identity. Beyond aesthetics, they look for your ability to narrate the "story" of your design—how it fits into the user's life and the broader cultural context.

User-Centric Problem Solving You must demonstrate a rigorous approach to understanding user needs. This involves showing how you use data, research, and empathy to make design decisions. You will be assessed on your ability to take a vague problem (e.g., "improve the checkout experience") and break it down into logical, user-focused solutions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration Design at NIKE is a team sport. Evaluation focuses heavily on how you partner with engineering, product management, and marketing. You need to show that you can advocate for design quality while understanding technical constraints and business goals.

Passion for Sport and Culture While you do not need to be a pro athlete, you need to understand the "athlete mindset." Candidates are evaluated on their energy, curiosity, and alignment with the company’s mission to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete.

3. Interview Process Overview

The interview process for a UX/UI Designer at NIKE is generally described by candidates as structured but "chill" and conversational. The company aims to assess your portfolio and personality without resorting to aggressive interrogation tactics. The process typically begins with a digital screening via HireVue. This is an automated video interview where you record answers to pre-set questions. Candidates often report this stage as low-stress because the system usually allows you to retake your video responses if you are not satisfied with the first attempt.

Following a successful screening, you will move to the main interview loop. This usually involves meeting with a recruiter followed by a series of interviews with the design team and business partners. For full-time roles, this culminates in a "Final Round" or "Super Day" which almost always includes a Case Study Presentation or Portfolio Review. During this session, you will walk through 1–2 detailed projects from your past work.

Expect the pace to vary. Some candidates experience a quick turnaround, while others report waiting weeks between the initial screen and the final interviews, often dependent on the availability of specific business partners. The atmosphere is generally positive, with interviewers genuinely interested in your creative process rather than trying to trip you up with "gotcha" questions.

Interpreting the Process: The visual timeline highlights that the HireVue stage is your first hurdle; treat it seriously, but use the "retake" feature to your advantage to ensure your answers are concise. The Portfolio Presentation during the onsite/final stage is the most critical component. It is weighted heavily, so allocate the majority of your preparation time to refining your slide deck and narrative.

4. Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Your interviews will focus on specific competencies that NIKE values. Based on candidate reports and job requirements, here is what you must prepare for.

Portfolio & Case Study Presentation

This is the core of the interview. You will be asked to present 1–2 projects deep-diving into your process.

Be ready to go over:

• The "Why": clearly articulate the business problem and the user problem you were solving.
• Process over pixels: Show your messy sketches, whiteboard sessions, and discarded iterations, not just the final Dribbble-ready shot.
• Collaboration: Explicitly state who you worked with (devs, PMs) and how their feedback influenced the design.
• Outcome: Use metrics where possible (e.g., "conversion increased by X%").

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through a project where you had to pivot based on user feedback."
• "Show me a piece of work where you had to compromise with engineering. How did you handle it?"
• "Why did you choose this specific typography/color palette for this interaction?"

Behavioral & Cultural Fit

NIKE hires for culture add. They want proactive, energetic team players who can navigate a large, matrixed organization.

Be ready to go over:

• Conflict resolution: How you handle disagreements with stakeholders.
• Ambiguity: How you move forward when requirements aren't clear.
• The Nike Maxims: Familiarize yourself with their values (e.g., "Win as a Team").

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to persuade a stakeholder to take a different design direction."
• "Describe a situation where you had to manage competing priorities."
• "What inspires you outside of design?"

Technical Proficiency & Tools

While you won't likely face a whiteboard coding challenge, you will be drilled on your toolset and methodology.

Be ready to go over:

• Figma mastery: Discuss how you organize files, use components, and manage design systems.
• Prototyping: Explain how you use tools like Principle or Adobe CC to demonstrate motion and interaction.
• Accessibility: demonstrating knowledge of inclusive design principles is a strong differentiator.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you hand off designs to developers to ensure accuracy?"
• "Describe your experience contributing to or using a design system."

5. Key Responsibilities

As a UX/UI Designer at NIKE, your day-to-day work is a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on execution. You are responsible for defining the user experience for specific product verticals, such as the checkout flow on Nike.com or the inventory dashboards used by retail partners. You will rapidly visualize and prototype multiple design directions in response to business hypotheses, always balancing the "cool factor" with technical feasibility.

Collaboration is a massive part of the role. You will work within the Nike Digital Product Design organization, partnering with product managers to understand feature requirements and with engineers to ensure your designs are built to spec. You aren't just handing off screens; you are often the architect of the entire product experience, guiding it from a rough concept on a whiteboard to a live feature in the hands of millions.

For more senior roles, you will also be expected to drive "thought leadership." This means looking beyond the immediate sprint to define entire categories of experiences. You will mentor junior designers, elevate the visual quality of the team's output, and use storytelling to influence VPs and senior leaders on the strategic direction of the product.

6. Role Requirements & Qualifications

To succeed in this process, you need to match the specific profile NIKE looks for.

Must-Have Skills

• Portfolio: A strong body of work demonstrating end-to-end product design (not just graphic design).
• Tool Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Figma and Adobe CC (Photoshop/Illustrator).
• Interaction Design: Ability to create prototypes (using Figma, Principle, or Keynote) that show how an interface looks and feels.
• Communication: Excellent verbal skills to present design intent to non-designers.

Experience Level

• Junior/Intern: Focus is on potential, craft, and raw sketching/visual skills.
• Mid-Level: Typically 3–5+ years of experience, with a focus on shipping real products and working in cross-functional teams.
• Senior/Principal: 8–10+ years of experience, requiring strategic business acumen and a track record of leading complex initiatives.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Experience with 3D design tools (like CLO or generic 3D software), though this is more critical for footwear/apparel roles.
• Knowledge of retail/commerce ecosystems.
• Experience in enterprise software (for internal tool roles like Nike.net).

7. Common Interview Questions

The following questions are derived from candidate data and standard practices at NIKE. They cover behavioral adaptability and design competence. Do not memorize answers; instead, prepare stories that illustrate your skills.

Behavioral & Situation

• "Tell me about a time you received difficult feedback on a design. How did you react?"
• "Describe a time you had to work with a difficult stakeholder."
• "Why do you want to work for Nike specifically, rather than a tech-only company?"
• "How do you handle tight deadlines when the scope of the project is large?"

Portfolio & Process

• "Walk me through your design process from ideation to launch for this project."
• "What was the most challenging problem you solved in this case study?"
• "If you could go back and change one thing about this project, what would it be?"
• "How did you validate your design decisions with data or user research?"

Design Thinking

• "How do you approach designing for a user demographic that is different from yourself?"
• "How do you balance business goals (like conversion) with user needs?"
• "Tell us about a trend in digital design that you are excited about."

8. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult is the interview process? Most candidates rate the difficulty as Medium to Easy. The challenge is rarely technical brain-teasers; rather, the difficulty lies in the high standard for portfolio quality and cultural alignment. If your work is polished and you are personable, you will find the process manageable.

Q: Is the HireVue interview live with a person? No. The first round is typically an automated HireVue session. You will read a question on the screen and record a video response. Candidates have reported that the questions are basic (e.g., "Tell us about yourself") and that you are often allowed to retake the video before submitting.

Q: How long does the process take? It can vary significantly. Some candidates report a slow process, with weeks of waiting between the HireVue and the onsite invitation. The "waiting for business partners" phase is a common bottleneck. Be patient and follow up professionally if silence stretches beyond two weeks.

Q: Do I need to know about sneakers/sports to get the job? While you don't need to be a "sneakerhead," you must show an appreciation for the brand's impact on culture and sport. Being completely indifferent to the company's core mission can be a red flag for culture fit.

Q: Is this a remote role? Many design roles are based at the World Headquarters in Beaverton, OR, which is a massive, campus-style environment. However, NIKE does hire for remote positions (as seen in recent job postings), particularly for senior or specialized individual contributor roles. Check the specific job listing for details.

9. Other General Tips

Polish Your Presentation Deck At NIKE, presentation matters. Your portfolio deck should be beautifully designed, not just a collection of screenshots. Use high-quality mockups, clear typography, and a narrative structure. Treat the presentation deck as a design project in itself.

Know the "Maxims" NIKE has a set of guiding principles (Maxims). While you don't need to recite them, understanding concepts like "Simplify and Go" or "The Consumer Decides" will help you frame your answers in a way that resonates with internal teams.

Focus on the "We," Not Just the "I" During your case study, be careful not to claim credit for everything. NIKE values collaboration highly. Clearly distinguish between what you did and what the team did. Using "we" shows leadership and maturity.

10. Summary & Next Steps

Securing a UX/UI Designer role at NIKE is an opportunity to work at one of the world's most influential brands. You will be challenged to merge high-performance utility with the emotional storytelling that defines the company. The work is fast-paced, highly collaborative, and deeply integrated into the culture of sport and fashion.

To succeed, focus your preparation on your portfolio presentation. Ensure your case studies tell a compelling story of problem-solving and business impact, wrapped in impeccable visual design. Be prepared to show your passion, your ability to work in a team, and your resilience in navigating a large organization. Approach the interviews with confidence and authenticity—NIKE wants to see who you are.

Understanding the Compensation: The data above reflects the broader market for this role. NIKE is known for offering competitive base salaries, but the total compensation package often includes significant bonuses and stock options (RSUs), especially at the Senior and Principal levels. Additionally, employees often cite the campus amenities and product discounts as valuable non-monetary perks.

For further interview insights and community-sourced questions, explore the resources available on Dataford. Good luck—you've got this!