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
Review shipped meditation or biofeedback apps in their portfolio: session flows, live EEG state screens, onboarding for Muse or Emotiv headsets, plus retention or session-completion figures.
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 released apps with real EEG signal screens, before and after flows, and named retention or streak metrics they moved.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and rationale
25% weight
Probe how they map alpha, theta or beta band power into calm visuals or sonification, and how they design around signal noise, artefacts and headset fit failures.
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 feedback mappings, latency budgets and artefact handling, and defends why gentle audio cues beat literal EEG graphs for meditators.
03
Evaluation factor
Feedback and iteration
25% weight
Test how they iterate with meditation teachers, neuroscientists and users: moderated sessions wearing headsets, A/B tests on feedback intensity, changes made after users reported striving or frustration.
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 redesigns triggered by user testing, such as softening reward cues after sessions showed anxiety or performance pressure.
04
Evaluation factor
Working with the brief
15% weight
Assess how they handle constraints from product, clinical and legal: Bluetooth reconnect edge cases, HealthKit or GDPR handling of neural data, wellness versus medical claim boundaries.
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
Translates ambiguous wellness goals into scoped specs, flags unsupportable clinical claims early, and works inside SDK and privacy limits.
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