You and your tech-savvy colleagues have an idea for the next big thing in tech. You have a plan and you did your research- but will your customers want to use your product? What would it take to stand out in a crowded tech landscape and keep your customers engaged? A Digital Product Designer can help you answer those questions.

You’ve heard of Product Design, but what about Digital Product Design? What's the difference between Product Design and Digital Product Design?

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What is Digital Product Design?

Digital Product Design is the process of designing and refining digital products, such as websites, apps, and software, to create an exceptional user experience that address the specific needs of the user. With a thorough understanding of the company's business goals and its users, Digital Product Designers often validate and test the features of a product through an iterative design process.

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Product Design Examples

So, what are examples of successful digital products? We're glad you asked. Have you heard of TikTok, the app known for its dance trends, educational content, and lip-syncing? It allows users to share short 15-60 second videos and is known for its algorithm-driven “For You” page, a page that curates content based on a user's viewing history and engagement. It has shaped our culture and is incredibly popular with younger generations. 

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Or, how about AirBnb, the company that disrupted the hospitality industry by making it easier for homeowners to offer short-term rentals of their home. AirBnb was created out of a need for short-term accommodations during a design conference where all hotels were fully booked. Now they are a global brand in over 220 countries and offer in-person or online activities hosted by local experts.

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And let's not forget Amazon, the platform that allows users to buy anything with the click of a button and have it shipped to them in 1-2 business days. They revolutionized shopping convenience with fast-reliable delivery, competitive pricing, and reviews users can trust.

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Types of Product Designers:

Before 2010, the word “product” only referred to physical-tangible goods, but as software became part of our everyday lives, designers and developers began to look at software the same way as GoPro rethought the camera or IDEO reinvented the shopping cart. 

There are two main types of product designers: Industrial Designers, people that design physical products such as cars, appliances, and furniture, and Digital Product Designers. The evolution and combination of a UX and a UI designer.

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What is a Digital Product Designer and what do they do?

Digital Product Designers are the people responsible for designing the entire experience of an app, website, or software. They ensure that the digital products they create are user-friendly, visually appealing, and functional. They get designs built and into the hands of the target customer through whatever means necessary. Product Designers play an ongoing role in refining the customer experience, adding features in a seamless- non-disruptive manner, and ensure brand consistency.

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Their jobs entail:

• Negotiating Features with Product Stakeholders 
• Understanding Business Needs
• Research 
• User Personas 
• User Flows 
• Utilizing Design Systems 
• Designing User-Centered Designs
• Wireframes and Prototyping 
• Usability Testing 
• Product Validation
• Iterating
• Pairing with Project Managers and Developers
• Reducing Feature Complexity
• Transferring Designs Into Practical, Functional Code 

Essentials of a Good Product Designer:

Now, you might be wondering what it takes to be a good Digital Product Designer. A good Digital Product Designer will involve themself throughout the entire lifecycle of a product and through their practice, they establish regular design cycles and rituals to help the team hypothesize, validate, learn, and iterate. 

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They bridge the gap between design and engineering to reduce the risk of spending time and money on building features that do not deliver meaningful or impactful value to users. Successful product designers are developer enablers and get products pushed to production. Working with a good Product Designer means delivering features that have the potential to make your product stand out or increase the retention rate.

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Looking to hire a Digital Product Designer? Keep an eye out for these green flags. A skilled product designer will approach their work by asking insightful questions, actively listen, and thoughtfully process information before offering solutions. This approach ensures a thorough understanding of the problem at hand. 

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Additionally, they possess exceptional communication skills, which enable them to effectively collaborate with team members and manage the various components of a project. A great product designer is also knowledgeable about current design trends and emerging technologies, and is eager to share their expertise. Don’t hesitate to engage in conversations about your product’s space and brainstorm ideas with your designer- they’re the perfect person to geek out with!

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What types of tools do Digital Product Designers use?

Digital Product Designers use different tools throughout the design cycle.

Commonly used software:

• Photoshop, Illustrator: Tools used to edit images or create icons and vectors.
• Figma, Sketch, Mockflow, Adobe XD, Balsamiq: Tools used to design and prototype a product, create user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity designs.
• Zeplin or Avocodo: Tools used to streamline the design to development handoff process and align stakeholders and project managers.
• InVision or Mirro: Tools for white boarding, brainstorming, optimizing productivity, and a little bit of prototyping.

While visual appeal is an important factor, Product Designers are more concerned with figuring out how people will use a product and how it relates to business goals. 

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Conclusion

In summary, successful product design is more than just aesthetics. It involves prioritizing the needs and desires of both clients and users. To achieve this, Digital Product Designers employ research, userflows, design systems, prototyping, and usability tests. They use digital tools, establish appropriate design processes and cycles, and work with you to create a user-friendly, visually appealing, and functional customer experience. At Artium, our product designers are cross-functional and capable of designing functional non-linear experiences. If you have an existing product, our designers can seamlessly add features, ensure brand consistency, and put them into production. 

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Will your customer want to use your product? Maybe, but you won’t know unless you have a skilled product designer on your team to test and validate features.

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Learn more about Product Design at Artium or get in touch with us today.