{"id":7924,"date":"2023-02-28T09:49:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T09:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=7924"},"modified":"2024-07-22T08:43:32","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T08:43:32","slug":"what-is-the-star-method","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-the-star-method\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the STAR Method? Here\u2019s How To Use It in Your Next Interview (With Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve ever had a job interview, you\u2019re probably familiar with questions like <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTell me about a time when\u2026\u201d <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHow do you handle [insert tricky situation].\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re probably also familiar with how stressful these questions can be. You know you\u2019re supposed to provide some kind of example, and you know you\u2019ve got loads you could draw from\u2026but you just can\u2019t think of any right now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After some umming and ahhing, you eventually pull an example from your mental archives. But you\u2019re feeling a bit flustered and realise you\u2019re rambling. You\u2019re not conveying the point you wanted to make, and the interviewer is looking rather lost.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there\u2019s a very simple solution to this common conundrum. It\u2019s called the <\/span><b>STAR framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and it\u2019ll help you to answer behavioural interview questions concisely and coherently.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re new to STAR, this guide is for you. It contains everything you need to know about the STAR method, including useful examples to help you model your own answers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep reading to learn:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-is-the-star-method\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the STAR method?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-is-the-starar-method\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the STAR\/AR method?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#why-is-the-star-method-useful\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is the STAR method useful?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#what-kind-of-interview-questions\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What kind of interview questions is the STAR method used for?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#how-to-use-the-star-method\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to use the STAR method in your next job interview: 3 expert tips<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#some-star-and-starar-examples\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some STAR and STAR\/AR example answers for UX designers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#the-takeaway\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The takeaway<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#more-career-tips-for-ux-designers\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More career tips for UX designers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, what exactly is the STAR framework? Let\u2019s begin.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-the-star-method\"><strong>What is the STAR method?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><b>STAR <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stands for <\/span><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Task<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It provides a helpful framework for structuring your answers to interview questions. Specifically, the STAR method is useful when you need to tell a concise and logical story\u2014usually in response to behavioural questions such as \u201cTell me about a time when\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how the STAR framework helps you format your answer:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is where you set the scene and provide necessary context. This usually involves laying out the problem or challenge you had to solve. For example:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was working as a junior UX designer at an e-commerce startup. We noticed that there was a really high rate of users abandoning their shopping carts at the last step in the purchase process, so we needed to improve the experience.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Task<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Here you outline the specific role you played, including any goals or objectives you were tasked with reaching. For example:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was responsible for reviewing and redesigning the checkout process to reduce \u2018abandoned cart\u2019 rates by at least 55%.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is where you share the actions you took to solve the problem\/tackle the challenge and to meet your goals. For example:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI started by conducting usability tests to identify the main pain-points in the checkout process. I then conducted some competitor research to see how similar e-commerce sites were structuring the process. Based on my findings, I redesigned our process, removing a very time-consuming step which asked users to fill out a long form with unnecessary information. I also implemented additional payment options as we were previously only allowing customers to pay via PayPal.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Here you state the results and outcomes you were able to achieve. For example:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA month after the redesign was live, we saw a 75% increase in customers completing their purchases. The redesign not only improved the user experience of the site, but also significantly increased sales.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what if you\u2019re asked to tell the interviewer about a project which didn\u2019t quite go to plan?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s an expansion of the STAR method which comes in very handy for such questions: <\/span><b>STAR\/AR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We explain in the next section.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-the-starar-method\"><strong>What is the STAR\/AR method?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR\/AR framework adds two extra elements to your story: <\/span><b>(alternative) Action <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>(alternative) Result<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is useful when you didn\u2019t achieve the desired results and want to share your learnings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how the STAR\/AR method works:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As with STAR, this is where you outline the context and the challenge.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Task<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Again, outline your role on the project and the outcomes you were aiming for.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Here, you share the specific steps and actions you took to address the challenge.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is where you explain the outcomes (or consequences) and reflect on why the action(s) you undertook weren\u2019t successful.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Alternative Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, you share what you learned and what you could have done differently\/would do differently next time. In other words, what alternative actions could you have taken for better results?<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Alternative Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Explain how your alternative action(s) could have impacted the results differently. What could you have achieved if you had pursued a different course of action?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR\/AR framework is a great tool for sharing unsuccessful projects and framing them in a positive light which showcases your ability to reflect, learn, and improve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"why-is-the-star-method-useful\"><strong>Why is the STAR method useful?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR and STAR\/AR frameworks are useful because they help you to provide logical, well-structured answers which tell a relevant story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When following the STAR method, you\u2019ll ensure that you cover all the necessary details that the interviewer is looking for\u2014and that you do so in a coherent, easy-to-follow way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By focusing on the four points of STAR, you can also avoid rambling, going off on a tangent, or diving into too much detail and losing the point you wanted to make.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communication is a critical skill (one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goskills.com\/Soft-Skills\/Resources\/Top-resume-skills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">top 10 skills to put on your resume<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in fact)\u2014not just for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-job-roles\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX roles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but for pretty much any job you apply for. Interviewers will be looking out for your ability to communicate effectively and concisely\u2014and the STAR method will help you do just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-kind-of-interview-questions\"><strong>What kind of interview questions is the STAR framework used for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR framework is ideal for answering behavioural interview questions. Behavioural questions are those which focus on how you behaved in a specific situation, and they typically require you to share specific examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some common behavioural interview questions which can be answered using the STAR method:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you tell me about a time when\u2026<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You had to take on a new task which you had no experience of doing before<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You made a mistake at work<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You had to delegate to other colleagues or team members<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you handle it when\u2026<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have clashing deadlines and not enough time to meet them all?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You and a colleague can\u2019t reach an agreement on something?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A last-minute request comes in and you\u2019ve already got lots on your plate?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you give me an example of\u2026<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A successful project you worked on<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A time when you had to work with a difficult or uncooperative colleague or client<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An unsuccessful project you worked on<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The interviewer won\u2019t always formulate their behavioural questions in the same way. But, if it sounds like they\u2019re digging for insights into how you approach certain challenges and situations, the chances are that they\u2019re looking for a concrete example or an anecdote. That\u2019s your cue to apply the STAR framework.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_ux-design-fundamentalsp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design-fundamentals?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_text&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[UX DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS COURSE]<\/p>\n                    <span>Get the Best Start in UX Design<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-use-the-star-method\"><strong>How to use the STAR method in your next job interview: 3 expert tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>1. Plan ahead and have some STAR stories at the ready<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can\u2019t anticipate exactly what questions will come up in your interview. But you can\u2014and should\u2014spend some time reading through the job description to get an idea of the skills and qualities the hiring manager will be looking out for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can then plan some STAR stories which highlight those critical skills. For example, if you\u2019re applying for a UX design role with a heavy focus on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-user-research\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">user research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you\u2019ll definitely want to prepare a STAR anecdote based on a time you successfully contributed to a user research project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe the job you\u2019re applying for requires lots of involvement in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-strategy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX strategy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In that case, you\u2019ll want to come up with an example of a time when you took on a strategic role or contributed to a strategic initiative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short: <\/span><b>Pull out the key skills, qualities, and behaviours the job description focuses on and come up with STAR stories which highlight and demonstrate these.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Formulate you STAR answers using only the most relevant detail<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When using the STAR method, it\u2019s important to follow the framework to the letter. The goal is to share every story or example in a concise, logical manner\u2014delivering the relevant points and making it easy for the hiring manager to follow along.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, when it comes to the <\/span><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aspect, you don\u2019t need to provide too much historical background or unnecessary detail. You want to set the scene without going round the houses. Share some context about where you were working, who you were working with (if relevant) and introduce the problem, project, or challenge you\u2019re going to focus on. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Good: <\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDuring my UX design internship at a software company, I was responsible for onboarding new clients. Our new client surveys reported a low satisfaction score, so I was then responsible for improving the experience.\u201d<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/i><b>Not so good: <\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI once did a UX design internship at a software company. I worked there for about six months in total and had lots of contact with new clients. They were mostly clients in the telecoms industry and I was responsible for onboarding them, which I usually did via video calls but sometimes they came by to the office. For every new client, we gave them a survey to complete after onboarding and sadly our client satisfaction scores were quite low so my manager asked me to look into ways to improve it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you see how the second answer is much longer and includes detail which isn\u2019t necessarily relevant to the story? If you do this for each point of the STAR, you run the risk of telling a long, winding story which loses the listener\u2019s interest before you\u2019ve been able to demonstrate your skills and achievements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short: <\/span><b>Keep your answers focused and concise. Go through each aspect of the STAR and come up with just two or three key points for each.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Practice using the STAR method on the fly<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s great to go into your interview with some STAR stories at the ready. At the same time, it\u2019s important that you\u2019re able to implement the STAR method on the fly, too. You don\u2019t know what the interviewer will ask you, after all, so it\u2019s good to be prepared for some curveballs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can, find a friend, colleague, or relative who can roleplay the interview with you. Ask them to come up with some behavioural questions based on the job description and practice answering them using the STAR framework\u2014with no prior preparation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will get you well-versed in structuring your answers under pressure\u2014a task which can be tricky when you\u2019re already feeling those interview nerves. And, if you do find yourself struggling to come up with something right away, don\u2019t be afraid to ask the interviewer if you can have a moment or two to think.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short: <\/span><b>In addition to planning some STAR answers ahead of the interview, practice answering behavioural questions under pressure. This will ease your nerves going into the interview and reinforce your confidence in the STAR framework.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"some-star-and-starar-examples\"><strong>Some STAR and STAR\/AR example answers for UX designers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now we know exactly what the STAR method is and how it\u2019s used, let\u2019s share some example answers for UX designers. These should provide some inspiration for your own STAR anecdotes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>STAR example #1: Tell me about your most successful UX design project<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this question, the hiring manager is asking you to describe a specific project and, most importantly, to explain how you contributed to the project\u2019s success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s an example answer based on the STAR framework.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI once volunteered with a non-profit organisation which taught coding skills to primary school-age children. I volunteered to help them redesign their digital learning portal.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Task<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI was responsible for planning and conducting user research to determine what features could be added to the platform, and then sharing my findings with key stakeholders, including the CEO and the product manager. The goal was to increase the average learner engagement time by 10 minutes per day, per user.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI conducted user interviews with eight kids who had already used the platform, and with their parents. This allowed me to gain insights from direct users (the kids) and also from their parents who are able to access the learning platform and see their kids\u2019 progress. From these interviews, I identified three new features that could improve the experience for both learners and their parents. I also discovered that there were some existing features that weren\u2019t being used. I presented my findings and recommendations to the CEO and product manager, suggesting that they build and integrate three new features and remove two unused features.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cThey followed my recommendations and launched those new features a few months later. After three months, the average learner engagement time had increased by 17 minutes per user, per day\u2014much higher than the original target. Students also reported a net promoter score (NPS) that was three points higher than the six months prior.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>STAR example #2: Think back to a time when you and your colleague couldn\u2019t agree on the direction a project should take. How did you handle it?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This question is all about collaboration, conflict resolution, and overcoming challenges. Here\u2019s how your answer might take shape with the STAR method.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Situation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI was working as the only UX designer at an insurance company. I collaborated closely with the product owner who didn\u2019t really believe in user research. They wanted me to provide prototypes for the new company app without conducting any research, but I wanted to do at least a brief round of user research before moving forward.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Task<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI was set the task of coming up with prototypes for the new app within one month. They then wanted the new app to launch three months after that.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Action<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI came up with a plan for how I could conduct user research on a low budget and still have the prototypes ready in time for the planned launch date. I put together a brief presentation outlining the steps I would take to conduct research, as well as the suggested cost and timeline, and a summary of how it would be useful for the end results. I shared this with the product owner to show them that I could still meet their deadlines and complete the project within budget if I included user research in the process. They appreciated that I had come up with a solution and a plan, and agreed that I could go ahead with the research.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Results<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cI conducted the user research as approved by the product owner and made sure to share my findings and insights with them so they could be involved in the process and see the value. We were able to launch the app on time and everyone was happy. For the next project, the product owner was immediately on board with user research and I didn\u2019t have to go through the approval process again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-takeaway\"><strong>The takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR framework will help you to answer behavioural questions logically and coherently, telling a well-structured story which highlights the key skills and qualities the hiring manager is looking for. It will also allow you to showcase your excellent communication skills\u2014earning you a big tick from any interviewer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use it when preparing for your next job interview, and remember: you can always turn to the STAR\/AR variation when you\u2019re talking about unsuccessful projects or learning curves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"more-career-tips-for-ux-designers\"><strong>More career tips for UX designers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The STAR method is just one tool that will help you in your UX career. If you\u2019re a newcomer to the field, you can accelerate your chances of interview success by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/reframe-previous-work-experience\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reframing your previous experience and using it to your advantage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You\u2019ll also want to make sure that your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/hiring-managers-ux-portfolio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX portfolio is ticking all the boxes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and that your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-designer-cv-templates\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX CV and cover letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are well-primed to catch the hiring manager\u2019s attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results\u2014and it\u2019s a great tool for answering interview questions. Here\u2019s how to use the STAR method, with examples.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":7996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[278,279],"tags":[347],"class_list":["post-7924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design","category-ux-explained","tag-star-method"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7924"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10612,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7924\/revisions\/10612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}