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 toy lines, not concepts: ask which SKUs reached retail, their age grade, price point, and whether they own sculpts, decos, packaging, or full line architecture.
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 specific SKUs on shelf with age grading, target retail price, and their exact contribution from concept sketch through production sample.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and rationale
25% weight
Test sketching, ZBrush or SolidWorks skill plus tooling literacy: draft angles, parting lines, blow versus injection moulding, and how a play pattern drives the form.
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 a design decision in terms of play value and mould constraints together, citing draft, undercuts, or action feature mechanics.
03
Evaluation factor
Feedback and iteration
25% weight
Probe how they handled EP, CFM and PP sample rounds, factory DFM pushback, cost engineering to hit COGs, and licensor style guide approval comments.
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 reworking a sculpt or deco across several sample rounds to satisfy factory, licensor, and cost targets without losing the play idea.
04
Evaluation factor
Working with the brief
15% weight
Ask how they read a marketing brief and safety envelope: ASTM F963 or EN71 small parts, choke tube checks, tension and torque testing, and Toy Fair deadlines.
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
Treats safety standards and cost ceilings as design inputs from day one, and cites a brief they interpreted into a testable, sellable concept.
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