I interviewed for a Product Design role and found the process quite inconsistent, although positive in the beginning.
The first interview was straight forward, and had I completed a task prior to this to be presented later on. The conversation flowed well and the team seemed really friendly. They gave a clear outlook on the challenges, gave constructive feedback, discussed my experience, and I left feeling very optimistic about the role and culture fit.
The following stages did not match my initial experience, In the second interview it was clear they had not reviewed the task I had completed, and some questions very unprepared. The conversation focused heavily on context-specific scenarios relating to their audience, existing issues and product setup. There were things that an external candidate cannot reasonably be expected to know without having adequate time to understand the product. As the interview progressed, the lack of clarity in the role and the direction they wanted the product to go in became more apparent. It felt as if they were looking for someone to solve all of the product's problems, and therefore the responsibilities for this role grew significantly during the interview.
I would recommend that Canvas8 improve this experience by refining their interview structure, removing lengthy upfront tasks from the early stages, and ensuring there is clearer alignment internally before carrying out a multi-stage process in which candidates invest a considerable amount of time and energy.