What is a Product Designer, and what do they do?
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop, surrounded by a riot of little kids, each with a unique personality, demanding attention and some, let’s admit it, causing complete chaos. Now, replace Arnold with a Product Designer and those rambunctious kiddos with the many facets of a product — user interface, user experience, accessibility, and market demands. The Product Designer, much like our beloved muscle-bound hero in the movie, is trying to understand, manage, and harmoniously integrate all these elements, hoping that by the end of the day, everything aligns and no one’s painting on the walls (or, in our metaphor, muddling up the design). So, before we delve deeper, let’s give a standing ovation to our unsung heroes who, in their way, are handling a kindergarten classroom every day. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the ‘Kindergarten Cop’ of the design world: the Product Designer!
In the intricate school of start-ups, the limelight often hovers over visionary CEOs, digital marketers, and tech prodigies. They’re easy to spot, taking the stage with their breakthrough ideas and strategies. But there’s a graceful dancer, often in the wings but pivotal to the performance: the Product Designer.
Understanding the Product Designer Persona:
At first glance, one might view the Product Designer as just another creative entity fixated on colors, typography, or aesthetics, throwing around UX terms they read on Medium (no, he didn’t…). But scratch beneath the surface, and you unveil a multifaceted practitioner, a confluence of creativity, empathy, strategy, and vision.
The Product Designer is naturally curious. They’re not just asking, “How does this look?” but “How does this feel?” and “How does this work?” Come on. You can hear his voice in your head as you read that. He was talking to and about Product Designers. They’re the ones who, when faced with a challenge, don’t just see a problem but an opportunity for design-driven solutions. Empathy is their compass, guiding them to view products through the eyes of the user and to feel their frustrations, joys, and needs.
Yet, they’re not just about psychology or feelings. They’re analytical thinkers, understanding that data, research, and a robust understanding of the market landscape must underpin the thinking and essence driving decisions leading to good design.
Job To Be Done (JTBD) and the Product Designer:
The JTBD framework, which focuses on understanding the core tasks users aim to accomplish with a product or service, ties perfectly with the Product Designer’s persona. The Product Designer’s JTBD isn’t just to design but to decipher the underlying needs and challenges of the user and create solutions that address these.
For instance, when designing an app for remote work, the superficial task might be “creating a platform for virtual meetings.” But the JTBD delves deeper: “Help remote teams feel connected, ensuring efficient communication while maintaining a semblance of office camaraderie.” This nuanced understanding makes all the difference in design outcomes.
The Indispensability of a Product Designer in a Start-up:
Given their unique persona and the depth they bring through the JTBD framework, their significance in start-ups is multifold:
Holistic Problem Solving: Their approach ensures solutions aren’t skin-deep but resonate with genuine user needs, merging aesthetics with functionality.
Fostering Collaboration: Their interdisciplinary nature breaks down silos, ensuring varied domains speak a common language — the language of user-centric design.
Mitigating Risks: By emphasizing user research and the JTBD approach, they minimize the guesswork, ensuring every design decision is informed and impactful.
Treading the Path to Mastery:
Becoming an adept Product Designer is a journey riddled with continuous growth and learning:
Self-Reflection: Understand your competencies and areas of growth. Align your skill set with organizational needs, tailoring your approach accordingly.
Feedback: Encourage constructive criticism. Whether from a junior designer or a CEO, feedback is the crucible in which a designer’s practice is refined.
Stay Updated: Design is dynamic. Engage in continuous learning through courses, workshops, or mentorships.
Broaden Horizons: While having a niche is great, a Product Designer should be a jack-of-all-trades. Dive into varied design aspects, from UX research to UI specifics.
In the bustling realm of start-ups, think of the Product Designer as Arnold from Kindergarten Cop. Just as Arnold uncovered hidden plots and tamed a room full of wild kindergarteners, a Product Designer deciphers the intricate weave of customer needs, business ambitions, and tech enigmas. They craft a symphony where products don’t just co-exist but dance, sing, and leave an indelible mark. And while they might not always command the spotlight like Detective John Kimble going undercover, in the vast stage of innovation, it’s often their quiet moves that steal the show. Remember: “It’s not a tumor!” But sometimes, it’s a transformative design.
