5 Questions to Ask Your UX Mentor

Illustration by Matt Rae

Having a mentor who’s able to support you in your UX journey, no matter which stage you are at, can be a huge source of inspiration and an essential part of your personal growth as a UX professional. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that there are many things to be aware of as you enter a mentorship relationship. Relying too much on your mentor or being unable to interpret their feedback might actually have a negative effect on your work. Fortunately, as a mentee, you play a big role in making sure the relationship is a positive one for you.

While some mentors are trained to do the job specifically, within a work context or as part of a structured program, many valuable mentors are born out of organic informal relationships. Regardless of their origin, a key factor in making this type of relationship successful is asking the right questions.

Here are five questions you can ask your UX mentor to make the most of your time together.

1. How did you get into UX?

Everyone loves to tell stories, especially when they’re talking about something they’re passionate about — like UX. When you ask about your mentor’s personal path, they’ll be excited to share their stories with you. Not only does this topic help foster an emotional connection, which is the foundation to building a relationship of…