Curious about a career in product design? We’ve broken down the steps you need to take to launch a career in this sought-after profession and land your first product designer role.
Combining creative, problem-solving, and research-based skills, it’s no surprise that the role of the product designer is becoming increasingly popular with those who want to make a positive difference in how we all experience digital and physical objects.
It’s a role that requires extensive collaboration across teams, allows for free thinking and ideation, and puts the needs of the user above all else. As a career choice, it offers variety, impact, and a lucrative career trajectory for those with the skills and passion to dedicate to the role.
However, if you’re considering launching a career in product design, it can be tricky to know where to start. If this sounds like you, look no further.
In this article, we’ve got everything you need to know about this exciting and rewarding profession, from the core skills and responsibilities to the steps you need to take to land your first product designer role.
In addition, we’ll take a look at the typical career progression so you can see how well this career choice aligns with your expectations and objectives and decide if this is the right role for you over the longer term.
We’ve got a lot to get through in this comprehensive guide to becoming a product designer, so let’s dive straight in!
Contents:
- What is a product designer?
- Core responsibilities of a product designer
- Key skills required of product designers
- How to become a product designer
- Typical career progression for product designers
- Conclusion
What is a product designer?
A product designer is a professional who creates, oversees, and manages the design and production of physical and digital products. In addition to creating the right look and feel of a product, the product designer is concerned with meeting user needs and solving identified challenges.
To achieve these objectives, the product designer conducts extensive user and market research, proposes ideas for new products, features, or functions, and creates mockups and prototypes for testing and iteration.
In collaboration with engineers, marketers, and manufacturers, they then seek to craft products that are seamless to interact with and aesthetically appealing while supporting users in reaching their objectives. The end result is a polished product that meets the goals of the user and the business and stands out amongst competitors in the marketplace.
Core responsibilities of a product designer
The following are the primary responsibilities of a product designer. However, it’s important to note that these responsibilities are likely to vary depending on the company, team size, and business goals.
- Research:
- Researching users’ needs, preferences, behaviors, and pain points regarding new or existing products
- Gathering and analyzing feedback from stakeholders, team members, and users to fully understand the goals and expectations related to the project
- Researching materials and their effectiveness
- Researching style trends like color palettes, prints, and other aesthetic components
- Researching competitors in the market, where they have succeeded and failed
- Setting expectations:
- Setting design requirements based on information from internal teams and user research
- Developing and defining benchmarks, goals, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the product
- Adjusting project goals to better fit timelines or design expectations
- Present product design ideas to cross-functional teams and senior leadership
- Ideation:
- Using a range of methodologies to concept new ideas or generate creative concepts that could solve the identified problem
- Sketching design ideas for different products (digital or physical)
- Developing wireframes and prototypes:
- Creating wireframes and prototypes of new products based on selected ideas
- Application of UX design principles to the product design
- Improving and refining sketches, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes based on user, stakeholder, and design team feedback
- Testing and iteration:
- Testing products with target users for functionality, accessibility, and ease of use
- Conducting A/B tests to get audience feedback about a new design
- Running user focus groups throughout the design process
- Ensuring Efficiency:
- Documenting the design process
- Improving workflows within the design team to bolster efficiency
- Working closely with product engineers to suggest improvements for products and processes.
Key skills required of product designers
If you’re looking to launch a career in product design, you’ll need to onboard the following skills to work effectively with others and launch products that meet user needs.
1. Technical skills
A product designer must be proficient in design tools and software to translate ideas into functional designs and effectively communicate their vision to different teams and stakeholders.
Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Figma, and other tools that support the creation of wireframes, mock-ups, prototypes, and other images is crucial here. These tools don’t just support the design process, they enable real-time collaboration, feedback, and iteration.
It can also be helpful for product designers to have knowledge of front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and Javascript as these programming languages support effective collaboration with developers and enable the product designer to test the feasibility of ideas.
Finally, familiarity with different design systems, accessibility standards, and responsive design–a design approach that ensures designs work well regardless of the device or screen size–is important for user-centric, adaptable, inclusive, and accessible products.
2. Understanding user-centered design
With businesses increasingly recognizing the advantages that offering a superior user experience gives them over their competitors, understanding user-centered design and its application to products has become more important than ever.
Product designers are therefore required to have an in-depth understanding of user-centered design. It not only helps them to create products that meet user needs and support business success but ensures a product’s usability too.
To create a user-centered design, product designers conduct extensive user and market research via methods such as interviews, surveys, and usability testing. They then analyze the data for relevant insights and trends that inform design decisions, ensuring their products align with user and business expectations and deliver real value.
3. Communication and collaboration skills
Product designers work with a wide range of teams, stakeholders, and users during the design process. This means that clear and effective communication is essential to their success. Not only do they need to convey complex design ideas and rationale to fellow team members, but they also need to present design concepts to management and communicate their vision to developers to ensure the smooth execution of the design.
When it comes to user research, the product designer requires active listening skills that secure a positive collaboration to yield valuable and usable insights. Active listening skills ensure the product designer fully understands the perspectives of others, empathizes with their challenges, and is able to integrate and apply their feedback.
Finally, clear and effective communication and collaboration skills are vital for maintaining positive working relationships between team members and teams. The product designer should be able to mediate to help resolve conflicts or misunderstandings that may slow down or impede the design process.
4. Problem-solving and critical thinking
Problem-solving and critical thinking are valuable skills in almost every profession. However, this is particularly true in the case of the product designer as their role centers around identifying and empathizing with user pain points and finding innovative ways to solve them.
The following are just some of the ways that the product designer might incorporate problem-solving and critical thinking into their day-to-day activities:
- Researching and analyzing user needs and contemplating possible solutions
- Assessing the objectives of the business
- Brainstorming product, feature, or functionality ideas
- Adapting to unforeseen changes or amendments
- Uncovering technical constraints that could limit the range of solutions
- Weighing up the pros and cons of different solutions
- Anticipating potential obstacles ahead of time (and addressing them with adjustments or different approaches)
- Prioritizing adaptability throughout the design process
- Thinking outside the box and pivoting when needed
How to become a product designer
Now that we have a clear picture of the skills and responsibilities of the product designer, let’s dive into what it takes to launch a successful career in the field. From degrees and online courses to portfolio-building and gaining real-world experience, we’ll cover all the steps you need to take to excel in this role.
1. Learn skills and theory of product design
Your first step in working in product design is to learn the skills and theory behind this impactful field. How you go about this is up to you. Let’s look at the most popular options for students hoping to get to grips with the field.
Degree courses
A degree in product design is a 3 to 4 year course in design principles, methodologies, and software that is typically offered as a full-time, part-time, and even, in some cases, online. Students receive a recognized Bachelor’s degree certificate upon completion.
Although degrees in product design are often associated with more of a theory-based route into the field, universities are increasingly embracing more project-based curriculums. Some are even offering student-company collaboration opportunities as part of the degree package.
This applied theory approach to product design gives students the chance to work with established industrial partners on projects, take part in competitions, or enjoy industry-led workshops, helping them understand better the commercial context and nature of the design industry. Some degree programs even include guest speaker lectures, enabling students to learn about the industry from the employer’s perspective.
Online courses
For those looking for a comprehensive yet flexible approach to studying product design, online courses can be a great option. While quality, content, and approach will vary significantly from provider to provider, online courses typically offer students a very hands-on, project-based approach to study that leaves them well-placed to apply for their first positions in the field. Many programs include portfolio building, mentorship, career guidance, and skills training in the latest tools in addition to the theory and principles that are the backbone of product design.
The length and price of online courses depend on the provider and the offering. While a short-term course might take between a few weeks and a few months to complete, other online providers offer self-paced learning, giving students up to 6 months to finish their program. Part-time and full-time options are almost always available with online courses.
Finally, while some online courses are aligned with recognized educational institutions, this is not always the case. However, nearly all online courses will offer some form of accreditation that students can take into job interviews to demonstrate their successful completion of the program.
Higher education courses / College courses
Another option for studying product design is via a higher education course such as a diploma. The offerings in this space depend very much on the curriculum and standard of teaching at the chosen institute. However, the benefits of studying in this environment include lower costs and part-time or evening courses for those who need to work alongside their studies.
Many diplomas offer full accreditation and some even have links to local businesses that can support internships or real-world project collaboration. With many product design diploma courses taking place in person at local colleges or higher education establishments, hands-on project work can be directly overseen by a tutor, while group work is generally actively encouraged.
2. Build a portfolio
In product design, your portfolio is everything. It’s a tangible demonstration of your creative and technical skills, ability to assess and learn from your work, problem-solving abilities, and ability to plan out and execute a design brief or challenge. While having a certificate from a recognized design school or establishment is certainly not going to hinder your product design career, your portfolio of selected projects is what employers will really be interested in seeing as this is a true reflection of your talents, design judgment, and previous experience in the field.
Your portfolio should consist of your very best work; the work you are really proud of. Try not to include every single thing you’ve ever done, but instead carefully curate a portfolio that highlights a range of projects, from conceptual work to final executions as this will demonstrate your versatility and attention to detail.
You may want to consider organizing projects to show your professional growth over time and highlight what you’ve learned along the way. Whether you choose to do this or not, it will be essential that you include your thought process and design methods alongside any images of your work. Your notes should also include how you approach challenges, iterate on feedback, and arrive at your final product. By recording and analyzing your work this way, you’re showing employers how you handle real-world challenges and collaborate with your team, users, and different stakeholders.
3. Gain real-world experience
With a few projects and a solid education under your belt, it’s time to gain some real-world experience in product design.
There are a few different ways you can go about this.
A product design internship with an established brand can be a great way into the industry and give you the chance to learn from experienced product designers, work on impactful projects, and make a positive impression on a potential future employer. However, despite these advantages, you’ll need to have another secure source of income if you do land an internship as, typically, interns are required to work full-time and unpaid.
For those ready to get straight to work, taking on freelance product design gigs is a good option for building up experience both in product design and client management. While you may not feel confident to advertise your skills as a professional product designer just yet, as a newcomer to the field you could offer up your skills and services to local businesses, charities, family members, or friends at reduced rates to help build up experience and grow your portfolio.
Finally, many newcomers to product design opt to shadow an established product designer to gain some industry experience and learn from an expert in the field. Consider approaching freelance product designers in your area to ask if you can join them for a day or a week to observe their work processes, assist where possible, and garner valuable insights.
4. Stay up to date in the industry
Employers will want to know that you’re staying up to date with industry changes, trends, and tools. Luckily, these days, there are numerous ways you can do this. We’ve compiled some of the hottest product design blogs, podcasts, and social media accounts that you can follow to ensure you stay ahead of the industry, impress potential employers, and keep your design work fresh and relevant.
Blogs
The following are some of the most popular product design blogs out there. While the style and output vary from blog to blog, you’ll generally find valuable industry insights and design breakdowns to inform your methods, processes, and outcomes.
Podcasts
Here’s a list of some of the best podcasts for staying up to date with product design trends and changes, as well as some good ol’ product design chats.
- Design Details with Brian Lovin and Marshall Bock
- Wireframe Podcast by Adobe
- Design Better with Eli Woolery and Aarron Walter
- UI Breakfast Podcast with Jane Portman
- The Hacking UI Podcast with Sagi Shrieber and David Tintner
Social media accounts
Which product designers are worth following online? These are our favorites for their inspirational stories and creative content.
- Matthew Encina @matthewencina
- Talia Cotton @taliasaccount
- Michelle Romo @monstromo
- Kim G @kimbyarting
- Jacquelynn Harris @jaqirabbit
- Aral Taşer @araltasher
Typical career progression for product designers
The typical career progression for product designers looks something like this.
|
Job title |
No. of years of experience |
|---|---|
|
Entry-level / Junior product designer |
0-2 |
|
Product designer |
2-5 |
|
Senior product design |
5+ |
|
Staff product designer |
7-8+ |
|
Senior staff product designer |
10-12+ |
|
Principal product designer |
14-16+ |
|
Senior principal product designer |
18-20+ |
Most product designers will begin their careers in entry-level roles, such as junior product designer, in order to build foundational skills in UI/UX design, prototyping, and research, broadly supporting the wider design team. At this stage in their careers, the product designer will often work under the guidance of a design manager, contributing to projects and gaining hands-on experience with user-centered design methodologies where possible.
Within a few years, the product designer is likely to be ready to advance to a mid-level role and take on more responsibility. This might include leading as well as contributing to design projects, collaborating with other teams, and building up skills related to planning, critical thinking, and strategy. In addition to their hands-on project work, the product designer may at this stage be expected to contribute more to the overall product vision of the brand.
Senior product designer positions come next. At this stage, the product designer is likely to head up complex design challenges and initiatives, guide junior designers, and collaborate with senior brand managers and stakeholders on the brand’s overarching product strategy.
Looking beyond the senior product designer level, product designers have a few options. While some product designers choose to transition into design product manager roles like lead designer or head of design, others opt to specialize, for example taking on roles like UX specialist or UI specialist. The individual’s career path at this stage will be largely determined by their own personal and career goals. A head of design role within a company will be focused on leadership, high-level product strategy, and managing large teams. However, a UX specialist may look to become a consultant in their field, offering their sought-after expertise to a range of clients on a freelance basis.
Conclusion
And there you have it! A complete guide to becoming a product designer. With the right combination of education, hands-on project building, and experience in the field, you’ll be well-placed to apply for your first product designer position and launch a creative, impactful, and fulfilling design career in this dynamic industry.
We’d highly recommend staying up to date on the latest trends, changes, tools, and methodologies in product design by subscribing to some of the podcasts, blogs, and social media accounts we’ve outlined here. Current knowledge and insights into the industry, its challenges, and where it’s headed will give you a competitive advantage against other job applicants when you begin interviewing for your first positions. This is because proactively staying informed about the industry effectively demonstrates your genuine interest and passion in the field and your desire to stay ahead of and embrace developments. We also recommend checking out this project by AND Learner, Rohan Narula, to further understand the nuances of project design.
Next Steps
If you’d like to learn more about product design, head back to the AND Academy Design Blog for more articles like this one. In case you think you need further assistance, here are some of our resources you can consider:
- Watch this session by Shiva Viswanathan, Design Head of Ogilvy Pennywise, and Naman Singh, Product Experience Designer at RED.
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Pursue our UI UX Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.
- Take advantage of our scholarship and funding options to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
