Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Portfolio
35% weight
Ask for exhibits, lab tours, or interactive builds they designed around DNA evidence: STR profiling walkthroughs, CODIS match demos, mock crime scene stations, with visitor or learner numbers.
Evidence to listen for
Work exists and can be looked at, not just described
States what they made versus what the team or a template made
Shows range rather than one repeated style
Can walk through a piece from brief to final
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No portfolio, or work that is unattributable or clearly templated.
2
Needs Improvement
Thin portfolio; unclear what they personally made.
3
Satisfactory
Real work with adequate range; contribution mostly clear.
4
Very Good
Strong varied portfolio with clear personal ownership.
5
Excellent
Shows named installations or digital experiences on DNA identification, their role on each, and measured dwell time, completion, or comprehension gains.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and rationale
25% weight
Probe how they translate electropherograms, likelihood ratios, and chain of custody into tactile or screen-based interaction without distorting the science; ask who validated accuracy.
Evidence to listen for
Explains why a layout, type choice, or colour decision serves the brief
Knows typography and hierarchy as craft, not decoration
Works to a brand system without either breaking it or hiding behind it
Names the tools they are genuinely fast in
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot explain any decision; work is arbitrary.
2
Needs Improvement
Talks in taste terms only; no link between choice and brief.
3
Satisfactory
Sound craft with some ability to justify decisions.
4
Very Good
Articulate about why each choice serves the brief.
5
Excellent
Explains specific design choices, such as simplifying allele peaks or framing probability, and names the forensic scientist who signed off.
03
Evaluation factor
Feedback and iteration
25% weight
Look for evidence of prototype testing with real visitors, students, or jurors: paper mockups, wayfinding fixes, revisions after confusion over match probability wording.
Evidence to listen for
Takes critique without treating it as an attack
Distinguishes a subjective preference from a real problem, and says so politely
Iterates fast rather than defending version one
Delivers files correctly and on time
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Defensive about critique; will not revise.
2
Needs Improvement
Accepts feedback passively; iterations do not improve the work.
3
Satisfactory
Revises willingly; struggles to push back on weak feedback.
4
Very Good
Iterates quickly and can argue for the work when the feedback is wrong.
5
Excellent
Cites concrete before and after changes driven by observed testing, including scripts or panels rewritten when audiences misread DNA results.
04
Evaluation factor
Working with the brief
15% weight
Judge how they work within constraints set by museums, labs, or police education units: budget, accessibility standards, ethics around real case material and victim privacy.
Evidence to listen for
Asks about audience and goal before opening the design tool
Works with marketing, product, or clients rather than in isolation
Flags an impossible brief early
Hands over files and assets others can actually use
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Designs in isolation; ignores the brief's purpose.
2
Needs Improvement
Starts designing before understanding the goal.
3
Satisfactory
Asks the right questions when prompted.
4
Very Good
Interrogates the brief up front and hands over cleanly.
5
Excellent
Handles curator and legal constraints openly, flags sensitive case content early, and delivers to fixed install dates and fabrication budgets.
Put this rubric to work
Score every candidate against the same standard
Add these weighted factors to Hirevire and let AI evaluate recorded answers against your rubric.
