Well, your answers to these questions will inevitably be different than mine. I’m not sure my answers would be helpful, and like @Piper_Wilson, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts and helping to refine them. Here are a few things to consider when answering these questions:
1. What does it mean and what does it take to be a great UX designer?
This question is as much about your design philosophy as anything else. What do you see as the central role of UX, and how is that achieved? For some, a great UX designer is one who’s capable of manipulating designs and users to increase a company’s bottom line. For others, a great UXer is one who stands up for the user in the face of unreasonable demands from internal stakeholders. There’s not a right or wrong an answer here, so long as you can back up your thinking.
2. What are the current challenges that you face as a UX designer?
This is another highly personal question, and the interviewer here is trying to understand your strengths and weaknesses, and also what you’re doing to counter areas where you could use improvement. My biggest challenge is that as a a self-taught UXer, I constantly doubt my own abilities. I try to assuage these by learning something new every day. Not only does it help fill knowledge gaps, but it reminds me that I am very capable in what I do.
3. What is a recent project that you were challenged by, and tell us how you approached the problem?
Your interviewer is looking for an example of the most difficult work you take on, and also how you rally to solve a problem that you feel may above your abilities. Are you a team builder that brings in others to help? Are you a researcher that hits the books to find your own solution? Whatever you say here, be sure to tell not only what the project was, but what problem in particular caused you to stumble, and be prepared to list the steps you took to succeed.
4. What is your design process? Describe what methods you follow?
Everyone’s process is going to vary a little bit. What matters is that you have one, and that you are able to explain the process and why it’s successful. If you’re looking for a place to start, the user-centric design process is a good jumping off point.
5. Give me some examples of your experience dealing with usability studies, eye-tracking study, field study, or focus groups.
Your interviewer wants to know the depth of your experience with UX tests. If you’ve done these, great! If you haven’t, that may be okay - so long as you can demonstrate some knowledge of what each is, the benefits and drawbacks of each, and how you’d go about learning more about them to implement them.
6. What would you say will be the next big trend in the UX Design industry?
This is a test of your reading to keep up with the UX world. Again, your answer here doesn’t matter as much as your ability to explain it.
7. What is your approach to making websites and platforms accessible to all user groups, including users with visual, hearing, and motor disabilities?
Your interviewer wants to know about your approach to UX design for accessibility. If you don’t have experience with this, I suggest taking a crash course. I teach a class on SkillShare about UX Design for Accessibility. You can get the class, and two free months of SkillShare premium, here. (Excuse the shameless plug).
With all that in mind, what are your responses to the questions?
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