Intuitive Machines Product Designer (Engineering) — Mission Ops UX Case Interview Template

This case simulates designing a safety‑critical, ground-operations UX for Intuitive Machines’ lunar missions. It mirrors the company’s fast, pragmatic interview flow and emphasis on mission readiness and cross-functional collaboration reported by candidates (typically HR screen → technical/behavioral deep‑dive → onsite/manager; often moves quickly). ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Intuitive-Machines-Interview-Questions-E2097916.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [indeed.com](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Intuitive-Machines/interviews?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Case prompt (given at start): “Design the initial version of a Mission Operations dashboard that lets a small flight team monitor telemetry, triage alerts, and send time‑boxed commands to a lunar lander’s customer payload during a short surface operation. Assume intermittent links, variable latency, and strict command safeguards.” Focus areas specific to Intuitive Machines’ style and culture: - Systems thinking under real constraints: model users (Flight Director, Systems/Avionics, Payload Customer Rep), comms dropouts/latency, and the need for rapid decision‑making with high reliability. Expect probing on ‘how you’d solve it and why’ rather than pixel polish. ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Intuitive-Machines-Interview-Questions-E2097916.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) - Safety‑critical interaction patterns: command confirmation gates, role‑based permissions, irreversible actions, alert prioritization, degraded/readonly modes, shift‑handoff continuity. - Telemetry visualization for anomaly detection: trending vs. real‑time, alarm thresholds, sparklines, state summaries; designing for low bandwidth and dark‑room environments. - Bias to action and small‑team pragmatism: prioritizing an MVP that fits a rapid schedule, tradeoffs you’d make, and how you’d collaborate with flight software and systems engineers. Panelists often ask about excitement for space and willingness to support mission timelines. ([indeed.com](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Intuitive-Machines/interviews?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Format (70 minutes): 1) 5 min — Brief and constraints (interviewer reads prompt; candidate may ask clarifying questions). 2) 10 min — Problem framing: users, jobs-to-be-done, critical moments, risks. 3) 25 min — Solution sketching: IA, primary screens, alert taxonomy, command workflow; show normal, warning, and failure states (paper/whiteboard or digital). 4) 10 min — Prioritization: define a v1 scope for a 2–4 week sprint; note dependencies and what you’d stub/mock. 5) 10 min — Metrics and validation: success criteria (e.g., time to detect/act on anomalies, false‑alarm rate), test plan with operators, and rollout strategy for a live mission rehearsal. 6) 10 min — Q&A and critique: defend tradeoffs; discuss how you’d partner with mission ops and flight software. What interviewers evaluate: - Problem clarity and risk anticipation in a space/ops context (can you surface unknowns early?). - Safety‑critical UX patterns and error prevention (thinking beyond happy paths). - Data/telemetry visualization choices tied to operator cognition and speed. - Communication with engineers and payload customers; calm decision‑making. - Prioritization and roadmap thinking under time/resource constraints. - Evidence you’re mission‑motivated and can learn new domains quickly—common themes in prior candidate reports. ([glassdoor.com](https://www.glassdoor.com/Interview/Intuitive-Machines-Interview-Questions-E2097916.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [indeed.com](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Intuitive-Machines/interviews?utm_source=chatgpt.com)) Materials provided: a 1‑page mission brief with 6–8 representative telemetry points, a sample alert feed, and two example command types with guardrails. Tools: marker/whiteboard or Figma/Miro equivalent. Typical follow‑ups (reflecting real interviews): - “Walk us through a time you designed for latency or low connectivity.” - “How would you handle an unexpected anomaly mid‑operation?” - “What tradeoffs would you make to ship in two weeks?” - “Why space? What keeps you motivated during long ops days?” Reported candidate questions often test enthusiasm for space and readiness for fast turnarounds. ([indeed.com](https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Intuitive-Machines/interviews?utm_source=chatgpt.com))