Interview scorecard template

Service Design Lead interview scorecard

Evaluate Service Design Lead candidates across 4 weighted areas: portfolio, craft and rationale, feedback and iteration, and working with the brief. Portfolio leads at 35%, so check services they redesigned end to end, and what changed for users and for the organisation behind the counter. Use the rubric to compare role-specific evidence consistently.

See AI scoring
design visual communicationdesign leadershipjourney mappingservice designux
TL;DR
For portfolio, look for evidence the candidate names services they redesigned with measured change for both users and the operation delivering them. For craft and rationale, look for evidence the candidate grounds journey work in real research, and can name a finding that overturned what the team assumed. Apply the written 1–5 anchors to every answer, record the evidence behind each rating, and use the factor weights to reach a consistent overall assessment.
Complete evaluation framework

What to assess and how to score it

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

Check services they redesigned end to end, and what changed for users and for the organisation behind the counter.

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

Names services they redesigned with measured change for both users and the operation delivering them.

02
Evaluation factor

Craft and rationale

25% weight

Test whether their research and journey work is grounded in real users or in workshop assumptions.

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

Grounds journey work in real research, and can name a finding that overturned what the team assumed.

03
Evaluation factor

Feedback and iteration

25% weight

Assess how they handle a design that tests well with users but the operation genuinely cannot deliver.

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

Redesigns around real operational constraints rather than blaming delivery, and can cite a case where they did.

04
Evaluation factor

Working with the brief

15% weight

Judge how they lead designers and bring operations, policy, and technology along with a service change.

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

Leads designers and carries operations, policy, and technology through a change rather than presenting to them.

Evidence-led prompts

Interview questions for a Service Design Lead

Use these prompts to surface evidence for the weighted factors above and compare candidates against the same role-specific criteria.

  1. 01

    Walk us through the service design projects you have worked on, and tell us which ones actually launched.

  2. 02

    Describe a time your service design significantly improved an aspect of the business, including what changed behind the counter.

  3. 03

    Take a couple of minutes to walk us through one of your service blueprints or customer journey maps on screen.

  4. 04

    What techniques do you use for identifying and understanding user needs on a service project?

  5. 05

    How familiar are you with running user research and analysing behaviour data yourself?

See the complete Service Design Lead question set
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.

Explore AI Scorecards