10 top tips for product designers

Product design, design thinking

A designer is crucial in any team and it’s a skill that requires creativity, but it’s not just about how what you’ve designed looks like, it’s about usability.

It’s about understanding the user, their needs, and how you can design a better experience for them. I’ve put together some pointers to consider based off of my experience, so if you’re a product designer looking for some pointers, here are ten top tips to consider in your day-to-day:

1. Keep the user in mind

When you design, everything you do should be with the user in mind. Understand their needs, what they’re looking for, and what will make their experience of using your product better. A good example of this could be navigation within your design — how easy is it to perform the task/tasks? Make it easy for users to interact with your product by clearly signposting and making user journeys clear. You can also use design patterns to create familiarity within the design to create a more cohesive and friendly user experience!

2. Understand the platform you’re designing for

Different platforms have different rules and limitations! Make sure you’re designing for the right platform, following any design systems and that your design meets the specifications. If you’re designing for wearable technology such as a smartwatch, keep in mind the small screen and limited input methods. If you are designing for a smartwatch, it’s probably a good idea to use lightweight design elements and minimalistic interfaces — which leads to my next point…

3. K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid!)

Simplicity is crucial and you should always avoid adding unnecessary elements that may confuse or distract your users. We can use the navigation as another example — a website with a clear, simple menu structure that lets users easily find what they’re looking for is good user experience. A website with multiple layers of dropdown menus that require the user to hover over each item to reveal more options, is bad user experience. Try not to overcomplicate your design!

4. Function over form

Functionality should always come before aesthetics. Ensure your design is functional, easy to use, and adds value to the user experience. Look at your layout, consider the best experience and try to ensure that you’re maximising functionality and efficiency. Nail the basics, then get fancy with the styling!

5. Get feedback early and often

Feedback is essential to the design process. Get feedback early and often from stakeholders, users, and colleagues, and use it to improve your design. Stakeholders can help identify key requirements for the product. It’s also important not to get upset or take negative feedback personally! By not getting emotional you can see things more clearly and come to a solution sooner.

6. Stay up to date with the latest design trends

Design trends are constantly evolving, so it’s essential to keep yourself in the loop with what’s going in the design world. Design blogs, conferences, videos, are all great ways of staying on top of the latest trends. A good example of a growing trend could be the increasingly popular dark mode. Using dark mode can provide better visibility by reducing eyestrain in low light conditions, making it easier for the user to read and interact with the interface! Don’t get left behind and keep on top of trends!

7. Design tools and software

Design tools are there to be used! Explore different tools and software to find what works best for you. Some design tools even offer free plans, such as Figma, a collaborative design tool that allows designers to create and share designs in real time. It’s widely used within the product design industry! It’s always a good idea to familiarise yourself with different design tools, you never know what requirements a client might have. And by learning different design tools and software, you can expand your skillset and offer clients a wider range of services, making you more valuable!

8. Collaborate with others

Collaboration is key to any successful project. Work with your team, stakeholders, and users to ensure your design meets everyone’s needs! By working with cross-functional teams and collaborating with stakeholders, you can ensure that your design is technically feasible and meets business requirements.

9. Test your design

Testing is crucial to ensuring your design works as intended! You should always test thoroughly before launch to avoid any potential issues. There are lots of different testing methods to use — hands on testing with users is popular as it allows you to gather valuable insights and identify areas within the design that need improving. Other testing to consider could include A/B testing, testing on different platforms and devices as well as using software tools which can find potential issues before they become problematic for users.

10. Have fun and be creative

Finally, the most important tip is to have fun! Design is a creative field, and it’s essential to have fun while doing it. Be open to new ideas, explore different techniques and always be willing to learn and grow as a designer!

I hope that with these ten principles you’ll be able to jump into your next project with some fresh insight, or even give you that push to jump into your first product design project!

Go out there, have fun, and get creative!