2025
Mock AI
MockAI is a conversation-first, AI-powered interview coach designed to help candidates overcome communication barriers during live interviews.
What I did
Client
UI Design
UX Design
Design System
Research
LeetGPT Inc.
Timeline
Team
Awards
5 Months
Qianmu Yang, Ziwen Zeng, Yuanyi Zhou
Sliver 2025 Muse Design Award-AI
Sliver 2025 Muse Design Award-Service
Sliver 2025 Indigo Design Award
My Contribution
As the product designer, I led the end-to-end design process and collaborated with two other designers. I conducted user interviews, created wireframes, built a design system, and developed both low- and high-fidelity prototypes. I also worked closely with the PM and engineers to define key features and ensure smooth implementation.
Goal
To create an AI-powered mock interview tool that helps job seekers prepare effectively for technical interviews by generating personalized study plans and simulating real interview scenarios.
Target
Users
“I have no idea where to start with interview prep—there’s so much to cover and not enough time.”
“I wish I had a mock interviewer or a plan that’s actually tailored to my goals, not just generic advice.”
Background
In today’s competitive job market, strong communication and storytelling skills are just as crucial as technical expertise—yet many candidates struggle to express themselves under pressure. Despite widespread use of coding prep platforms, job seekers still lack tools that help them practice and improve soft skills like behavioral responses, tone, and presence.
Problem
Despite their technical qualifications, many candidates struggle in live interviews—not because they can't solve problems, but because they can't
communicate them well. Through user interviews and recruiter surveys, we uncovered three critical barriers:
Soft skills are the missing piece.
80% of candidates underperform due to poor communication preparation—not lack of knowledge.
Storytelling breakdowns cost jobs.
50% of rejections are linked to weak behavioral responses. 40% of candidates struggle with small talk and personal connection.
Burnout undermines performance.
35% of users feel overwhelmed and lost in unstructured prep workflows, impacting their confidence and readiness.
Traditional mock platforms fall short.
Most tools focus exclusively on coding, leaving users underprepared for the human side of interviews.
Research
To better understand users' interview preparation habits and their expectations for AI tools, I conducted interviews with 7 individuals across tech, finance, and science fields—ranging from PhD students to senior professionals. These conversations uncovered key challenges and preferences when it comes to technical and behavioral interview prep.
Insights & Takeaway
Behavioral interviews and case studies are consistently the most difficult to prepare for
Users want personalized, structured guidance—not just generic resources or one-off answers
Existing AI tools are convenient but often lack human nuance and interactive feedback
Realistic simulations and progressive learning plans are highly desired features
Many users practice technical skills regularly but feel underprepared for soft skill assessment
Pain points
Difficulty articulating thought process during technical interviews (based on interviews with students, engineers, and PhDs).
Low confidence navigating behavioral questions.
Missed opportunities due to weak storytelling or delivery.
Lack of resource and guidance on the preparation process
Opportunities
With these insights, we saw an opportunity to redefine interview prep as a holistic, human experience—powered by AI.
AI-Driven Communicational Coaching
MockAI trains candidates in storytelling, structured thinking in coding practices, and live delivery through adaptive, interactive simulations.
Conversational Fluency Practice
Through small talk, behavioral exercises and interpersonal role-play, candidates build confidence in making authentic connections with interviewers.
Comprehensive, Actionable Feedback
AI-generated insights on clarity, pacing, and presence help users refine not just what they say—but how they say it.
Time-Tracking & Gamified Dashboard
Stay motivated and on track with our time management tools and progress rewards. The dashboard allows users to set and monitor their study goals, while earning rewards for achieving milestones, helping to maintain consistent practice and prevent burnout.
Track your progress and see your performance distribution, highlighting areas where you can focus on improving next.
Automatically record your interviews in the learning system, break your goals into mini steps, and receive reminders for your next task.
With each learning milestone you achieve, you'll unlock a new badge.
Behavioral Question Cheatsheets Generation
Create downloadable personalized cheatsheets for common behavioral interview questions by inputting your job descriptions, resume, and shared stories, along with suggested responses. This feature helps users prepare more effectively by guiding them in structuring their answers and confidently communicating their skills and experiences.
For each question and your response, the AI offers suggestions to elevate your answer. You can refine it by adding supplementary information and adjusting the level of polish based on your comfort level.
To get started, no preparation is needed. Just share a story, and the AI will automatically generate a draft of your cheatsheet. You may keep compare options AI provides to you.
Woohoo! You're all set and ready for your mock interview.
Before starting your mock interview, you can download the cheatsheets as a PDF and keep them handy. Review the AI-provided hints to stay focused on the key points.
AI-Powered Mock Interviews
Engage in realistic, AI-driven mock interviews that simulate both technical and behavioral questions. Instant feedback on responses, ranging from problem-solving approaches to communication clarity, helps candidates identify areas for improvement, boosting confidence and refining their interview skills.
When you're ready, you'll receive both quantitative and qualitative feedback. This includes an AI-generated score and the option to send it to trusted peers, who can provide valuable, constructive insights based on their knowledge of you.
In the mock interview, you'll present to an AI interviewer, record the session, and receive discreet hints on the screen to guide you without interruption.
AI Small Talk Simulation
Engage in casual conversations through AI-driven simulations to build confidence in interpersonal interactions. This feature helps candidates enhance their conversational fluency, tone, and rapport-building skills. Practice anytime, anywhere, with prompted topics to guide your conversations.
Feeling embarrassed or stuck with small talk? No worries, just practice anytime, anywhere, and boost your confidence.
AI-Powered Coding Practice
Enhance coding skills with interactive challenges tailored to individual strengths and weaknesses. AI hints and guidance are offered during the exercises, helping users problem-solve more efficiently and improve their technical skills in real-time.
At the end, you will see a detailed performance reports to track your progress and improve your problem-solving skills.
Solve coding challenges with instant AI feedback, offering hints, step-by-step guidance.
AI + Human Feedback Reports
Receive a combination of AI-driven insights and peer feedback through detailed reports. These reports highlight areas for improvement, offering both automated suggestions and personalized recommendations from trusted peers, ensuring well-rounded growth in both technical and soft skills while increasing trust through feedback from individuals who know you best.
AI analyzes your performance, while peers offer feedback on your videos, improving both technical and soft skills.
Get real-time evaluations on communication, problem-solving, and delivery through AI reports and peer reviews.
Next Step
Usability Testing
Conduct moderated and unmoderated usability tests to validate design assumptions and identify areas for improvement, especially around behavioral interview simulations.
Enhanced AI Feedback
Develop more human-like interaction capabilities for the AI, including feedback on tone, storytelling, and communication style.
Takeaways
Design Under Constraints
I gained hands-on experience designing within real-world technical limitations, which helped me improve my handoff process and better collaborate with developers.
Strategic Thinking
Beyond visuals, I focused on creating a scalable design system and building a thoughtful, user-first experience—especially for users navigating high-stakes interview stress.
What's included?
Brief
Background
Problem
Opportunities
Dashboard
BQ Cheat sheet
AI Mock Interview
AI Small Talk
AI Coding Practice
AI+Human Feedback
Takeaways & Next Steps
Copyright 2025 by Qianmu Yang