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 brand books, franchise style guides, or rebrand rollouts they personally owned across parallel product lines, regions, or licensed universes, including before and after asset examples.
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 brand systems they authored, with governed asset libraries, logo lockup rules, and evidence of adoption across multiple properties.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and rationale
25% weight
Probe command of Pantone and colour space conversion, typographic hierarchy, logo clear space rules, and how they encode all that into Frontify, Bynder, or Figma libraries.
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 guideline decisions (grid, tone-of-voice tiers, co-branded lockups) and why each rule survives translation across markets and media.
03
Evaluation factor
Feedback and iteration
25% weight
Test how they handle off-brand submissions from licensees or regional teams: review cadence, approval SLAs, escalation paths, and what they conceded versus enforced.
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
Describes a real rejected campaign or licensee asset, the negotiation that followed, and the guideline amendment that prevented recurrence.
04
Evaluation factor
Working with the brief
15% weight
Check how they translate a fragmented multi-property portfolio into a governance brief: audit scope, stakeholder mapping, timeline, and success metrics such as approval turnaround.
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
Turns vague consistency mandates into an audit-backed plan with named stakeholders, phased rollout, and measurable compliance targets.
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