Product designer jobs

Product designers are responsible for overseeing the product design process. If you have aspirations of becoming one, you should get experience in related fields and put up a portfolio.

A person who manages the whole design process of a new product or the enhancement of an existing product is known as a product designer. Product design may also refer to the process of improving an existing product. A product designer's duties may include coming up with ideas for resolving existing problems, soliciting feedback from key stakeholders, serving as a liaison between designers, engineers, and researchers, and contributing to the creation of mock-ups by way of wireframes and prototypes. They are aware of the more general objectives of the product, while also paying attention to the specifics that are required to realize those objectives.

Glassdoor [1] estimates that the national average base income for a product designer in the United States in 2021 is going to be $103,670. When compared to the salaries of user experience (UX) designers, who are around $102,056, and product managers, which are $110,505, this figure is much lower.

So, what precisely is meant by the term "product design"?

The process of developing an electronic or physical object is referred to as product design. Research serves as the primary foundation for the process, and it requires that the end-journey user's be kept in mind throughout.

In recent years, product design has increasingly come to be connected with digital goods such as software and applications. However, the term "product design" may also be used to refer to the design of tangible items, such as furniture, electrical devices, and other manufactured commodities. The latter kind of design is sometimes referred to as industrial design.

What exactly does it entail to be a product designer?

The work of a product designer may be simplified down to a select few primary responsibilities. These are the following:

Despite the fact that a product designer may have to wear multiple hats, their primary responsibility is to design the product. When designing a product, a product designer will draw upon their understanding of color theory, typography, attention to detail, and other aspects of design.

Keeping the end user in mind at all times, a product designer would often include user experience design concepts into their work. This does not just mean making a thing as easy to use as possible. It is reasonable to anticipate that product designers will be able to carry out A/B testing, email surveys, and other forms of UX research, as well as be familiar with the processes of building wireframes, prototypes, and journey maps.

Collaborating with several teams: A product designer is often involved in cross-team collaborations with other designers, researchers, and business teams because of the holistic approach that they apply to the creation of a product. This helps to guarantee that the ultimate product matches with the aims of the organization, and it also incorporates all of the procedures required to make the product user pleasant and properly designed.

Product designer versus UX designer: The distinctions discussed

The primary responsibility of a user experience designer (also known as a UX designer) is to ensure that a component of a product's design contributes to an excellent user experience. A product designer may concentrate on the totality of the process, which may include ensuring that a product is suitable for the operational requirements of a firm. UX designers could also participate more extensively in the original design stage of the product, while product designers often seek to enhance already existing goods.

Product designers often collaborate with user experience (UX) designers, and it is typically required of product designers that they have a solid knowledge of the fundamentals of user experience. In addition, the two titles are occasionally used interchangeably, which might lead to misunderstanding that is very reasonable.

How to Break into the Product Design Industry

There are a few different routes one may take to enter the field of product design, which encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities. Here are some approaches to start things moving in the right direction.

Acquire the abilities that are necessary.

Understanding what it is that a user wants to do, what their pain points are, and how a product makes them feel is an essential part of user experience and user interface design. Learning difficult skills like wireframing and prototyping, carrying out research, and putting product features to the test may be challenging. Tools for prototyping may include things like Figma, Framer, or Principle.

Visual design tools: A product that is beautiful to the sight may satisfy consumers and provide for a good user experience. This can be accomplished via the use of visual design. A sense of aesthetics and some familiarity with the software and hardware used in visual design are often required qualifications included in job descriptions. Figma, Sketch, and even the Adobe Creative Suite might fall within this category.

Having prior expertise in project management or leadership: As a product designer, it might be helpful to have some experience as well as the ability to understand the wider picture of a process, to be able to plan, and to know how to put a vision into action. It is not necessary to have previous experience working as a project manager, however having previous experience developing, supervising, or carrying out a project might be advantageous.

Create a portfolio of your work.

A portfolio may demonstrate to potential employers your prior projects, your style, and how you take into account the requirements of businesses in your design work. As a product designer, your portfolio should include a "About me" section in which you highlight your experience and the qualities that set you apart. Using website builders such as Wix, SquareSpace, or Webflow, you may put up a portfolio of your work.

There is no need to be concerned if you do not currently have sufficient tasks to fill up a website. You can get started by publishing your work on LinkedIn, and then you can go on to creating a more comprehensive portfolio at some point in the future. These might be projects you've completed in the past for work, they can be projects you've made for yourself, or they can be assignments from classes you've done.

Begin by assuming responsibilities that are similar.

It is not always an easy journey to follow in order to achieve one's goal of becoming a product designer. Working in positions that provide you with exposure to many facets of product design may help you obtain experience that is relevant to this field.

You have the option of beginning your career in user experience design, graphic design, copywriting, or information architecture, depending on the skills you already possess.

Attend some classes.

Courses may help you hone the abilities that you still need more practice with, regardless of whether you have previous experience in a relevant field or are beginning your career from fresh. Determine the areas in which your toolbox of talents is lacking. As a product designer, you may find some of them helpful. Here are a few examples.

Think about enrolling in the Google UX Design Professional Certificate program if you want to learn more about the procedures involved in user experience design. You will get the chance to work with digital design tools, put together a professional portfolio, and gain an understanding of the fundamentals of user experience research.

You may hone your product management expertise by enrolling in the Digital Product Management course offered by the University of Virginia, or you can become proficient in graphic design by specializing in the field via a program offered by CalArts.