OVERVIEW
What Is a Product Designer?
Product designers oversee the entire design process, from product ideation and prototyping to testing and development. They translate vague ideas into functional, aesthetically pleasing creations that solve real-world problems. Whether they’re developing digital products such as mobile apps and websites or physical products like furniture and clothing, product designers must find the right balance between form and function. This typically requires several rounds of concept ideation, prototyping, usability testing, and refinement. The design process is highly collaborative. Product designers work closely with product managers, manufacturers, marketing and sales teams, and quality assurance specialists to align their design plans with broader organizational goals.
RESPONSIBILITIES
What Does a Product Designer Do?
While their day-to-day job duties vary, product designers typically handle the following responsibilities:
- Discussing design project objectives and requirements with clients.
- Establishing project timelines and deadlines.
- Preparing budgets and allocating resources.
- Developing user journey maps that detail exactly how users will interact with the product.
- Working with industrial designers to ensure that products align with manufacturing requirements.
- Building and maintaining a streamlined design system to ensure consistency across various projects.
- Creating mock-ups and product prototypes.
- Conducting A/B tests, usability tests, performance assessments, and security reviews to ensure that products are safe, user-friendly, and function as intended.
- Gathering customer feedback through focus groups, surveys, interviews, and questionnaires.
- Extracting insights from user feedback data and implementing changes to better address user needs.
- Identifying “pain points” or frustrations experienced by users.
- Troubleshooting problems and delays during the product design process.
- Collaborating with UX designers, UI designers, product managers, and other team members to develop user-centric products that advance the overarching business goals.
Where Does a Product Designer Work?
Some product designers are dedicated full-time employees who work in-house for a single company. Others are freelance designers or consultants serving multiple clients. Product design professionals can work in a variety of industries, including:
- Manufacturing
- Technology
- Entertainment
- Retail
- E-commerce
- K–12 and Higher Education
- Healthcare
- Fashion
EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES
How Do I Become a Product Designer?
If you’re interested in a career in product design, you’ll need a strong foundation in design principles, business strategy, and project management. A bachelor’s degree in user experience design, industrial design, or a closely related field can help you develop the skills you need to thrive. These degrees cover essential subjects such as strategic thinking, business management, design applications, prototyping and iterating, and AI and technology in design. Consider boosting your résumé even further by acquiring one or more design certifications such as the Google UX Design Professional Certification or User Experience Design Immersive Certification (UXDI).
Once you’ve acquired core design skills, apply what you’ve learned to real-world scenarios through internships, freelance projects, or entry-level design jobs. You can also cultivate your skills through collaborative endeavors with other designers or passion projects outside of work. As your design expertise grows, start developing your brand identity and compiling case studies to include in your portfolio website. A well-constructed design portfolio is one of your most powerful assets, enabling you to showcase your talents to prospective clients and build your professional network.
Best Degrees for a Product Designer
Business
User Experience Design – B.S.
An online UX Design program designed for students who want to become...
An online UX Design program designed for students who want to become business-savvy designers that can generate best-in-class, customer-centric products and services.
- Time: 60% of students finish similar programs in 19 months.
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 38 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program:
- Wireframing and Prototyping
- Artificial Intelligence
- Accessible Design
- Figma Design Software
- UI/UX Research
- User Testing
- Adobe Express
This degree prepares you with relevant industry skills and experience that will help you move forward in your career.
What Is the Salary of a Product Designer?
$72,250
Salaries for product designers vary depending on the type of product, industry, location, and several other factors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for industrial designers is $72,250. Web developers and digital designers earn a median annual salary of $98,540. Whether their efforts are focused on digital products or physical goods, designers with extensive experience often qualify for advanced positions with higher pay.
What Is the Projected Job Growth for a Product Designer?
2%
The BLS reports a promising job outlook for both physical and digital product designers. From 2022 to 2023, the employment of industrial designers is expected to increase by 2%. This growth will result in approximately 2,200 job openings for industrial designers each year over the decade. During the same period, the employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow by 16%, leading to an estimated 19,000 job openings annually.
SKILLS
What Skills Does a Product Designer Need?
Because their role encompasses a diverse array of tasks, product designers need a well-rounded skill set containing both technical expertise and interpersonal abilities. Some of the most important skills for product designers include:
- Empathy. To fully understand and accommodate user needs, a product designer must empathize with users and see the product from their perspective.
- Communication. Because the design process is cooperative, product designers should be skilled in written communication, public speaking, active listening, and working on a team.
- Adaptability. Designers should remain flexible and adaptable to user feedback, resource limitations, and manufacturing considerations.
- Creativity. By embracing out-of-the-box thinking and unconventional ideas, product designers can craft innovative solutions that stand out in the market.
- Project management. Product designers must ensure that projects stay on track, meet deadlines, adhere to budgetary constraints, and align with the client’s expectations.
- Graphic design. Because digital designers often create user interfaces and visual elements, they need a solid grasp of typography, color theory, and other graphic design principles.
- UX research. By studying the target audience’s needs and preferences, designers can develop products that satisfy users and succeed in the market.
- Problem-solving. In the design world, unexpected challenges and delays are common, so designers must be adept at devising creative solutions.
- Technical expertise. Software programs like Figma, Adobe XD, and Fusion360 enable designers to build detailed models and simulations of their products.
- Curiosity. By adopting an investigative mindset, product designers can explore new methodologies and stay current on industry trends, market fluctuations, and audience preferences.
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