Our five-pronged approach focuses on your individual strengths to develop your unique qualities towards making you an exemplary pi- designer.
Sukanya Bhattacharjee
20/03/2025
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Overview
This article explores product design as a career choice and highlights the educational qualifications and skills needed to get hired. It talks about the role of a product designer and its impact on how people interact with digital and physical products. It also covers the most common tools used, employment opportunities and average salaries of product designers in India.
As of 2025, the demand for product designers continues to grow, driven by the increasing importance of user-centered design in developing innovative products across various industries. If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in product design, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this article, we will walk you through everything that you need to know to become a product designer.
Table of contents
Product design is the process of developing a digital or physical product with a focus on user experience and research. The primary goal of product design is to create a product that fulfils a need or solves a problem, all while ensuring that it has the right look and feel and is easy to use.
A product designer is a professional responsible for the entire design process of a product, from conceptualisation to prototyping to testing and final production. Product designers may also work on improving an existing product, brainstorm ideas to address current user issues, conduct research and gather stakeholder feedback. This leads them to propose new features or functions in collaboration with engineers, marketers and manufacturers, which they test and iterate through mock-ups, wireframes and prototypes. They are skilled at understanding the overall objectives of the product while paying close attention to the details needed to implement them.
Before we discuss the role of a product designer, it is important to understand that responsibilities may vary depending on the company, product, team size and business goals.
Using various methodologies to brainstorm and develop innovative concepts that address the identified problem. This includes sketching design ideas for digital and physical products and exploring different approaches to create solutions that effectively meet the needs and challenges.
Developing wireframes and prototypes for new products based on the chosen design concepts while applying UX design principles. Continuously refining sketches, wireframes, mockups and prototypes by incorporating feedback from users, stakeholders and the design team. Product designers leverage their expertise in color, typography and other design elements to create visually appealing and functional products.
Product designers may utilize various research methods, such as A/B testing, email surveys and other UX techniques. Throughout the design process, they test products with target users to ensure functionality, accessibility and ease of use. By conducting A/B tests, they gather valuable audience feedback on new designs and may also refine the product based on user input.
Product designers collaborate with other designers, researchers and business teams to ensure that the final product meets the company's goals and user needs. In addition, they document the design process, streamline workflows within the design team to enhance efficiency, and closely work with product engineers to propose improvements for products and processes.
Product design is essential across various industries, from tech and electronics to automotive and healthcare. Designers need to be adaptable and understand the requirements of different sectors. For example, in the tech industry, product designers focus on creating digital interfaces, whereas in manufacturing or consumer goods, they might work on designing ergonomic and functional furniture.
While product design may involve physical and digital products, there’s a significant difference between industrial design and digital product design.
Industrial Design involves designing tangible products such as electronics, furniture, or appliances. It emphasises the product's ergonomics, functionality and visual appeal while considering how it will be manufactured.
Digital Product Design is focused on designing user interfaces for websites, mobile apps, and software. It involves creating layouts, user flows, wireframes, and prototypes to ensure the digital product is intuitive and user-friendly.
Product designers hold various responsibilities, depending on the sector they work in. However, the general duties can be broadly categorised into the following:
—Understanding market needs and customer pain points and conducting user research.
— Ideating and sketching product concepts that align with user needs and business goals and address identified problems.
—Creating prototypes (physical or digital) to test product ideas and refining them based on feedback.
—Working with other team members, such as engineers, marketers, and developers, to ensure the product meets user needs and business objectives.
—Finding competitors and industry trends to identify opportunities for differentiation and innovation in product design.
—Once a product has passed the prototype phase, designers create the final design and ensure it is ready for production.
Product designers rely on a variety of tools to support different stages of the design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing. Here are some of the most commonly used tools in product design:
If you’re wondering how to become a product designer, it’s essential to understand the educational qualifications and skills required to succeed in this role.
While a formal education is not always necessary to become a product designer, having a degree in a related field can be beneficial. Many aspiring product designers pursue a B.Des in Product Design or a Bachelor of Product Design from reputed colleges. These programs equip students with the knowledge of design principles, user experience, and product development.
A product design degree typically spans 3 to 4 years and covers design principles, methodologies, and software tools. It is usually available in full-time, part-time and sometimes online formats. Upon completing the program, students earn a recognised Bachelor’s degree.
Online courses can be a great option for those looking for a flexible and comprehensive way to study product design. Although the quality, content and teaching approach may vary between providers, these product design courses generally emphasise hands-on, project-based learning, which equips students to pursue their first roles in the field.
Short-term courses may range from a few weeks to several months, while some online programs offer self-paced learning, allowing up to six months to complete the course. Online courses typically provide both part-time and full-time options to suit different schedules.
Another option for studying product design is through a higher education diploma. Many of these diploma programs are fully accredited, and some even have partnerships with local businesses, offering opportunities for internships or collaboration on real-world projects.
India is home to some prestigious design institutes that offer product design programs. Some of the top colleges for product design in India include:
To launch a career in product design, you'll need to develop skills that enable you to collaborate effectively with others and create products that address user needs.
A product designer must be skilled in design tools and software to clearly communicate their vision to various teams and stakeholders. Having a hold on these tools allows the creation of wireframes, mock-ups, prototypes and other visuals and enables real-time collaboration, feedback and iteration.
It is also important to be familiar with design systems, accessibility guidelines and responsive design principles. This ensures that designs are user-focused, adaptable to different devices and screen sizes, and inclusive for all users.
Problem-solving and critical thinking are essential skills in nearly every profession. However, they are necessary for product designers because they focus on identifying user pain points, understanding their needs, and developing solutions to address those challenges.
Product designers must have a deep understanding of user-centered design, as it enables them to create products that meet user needs, support business goals and ensure usability. To develop a user-centered design, they conduct thorough user and market research using interviews, surveys, and usability testing. They then analyse the collected data to identify key insights and trends that guide their design decisions and ensure the final product meets user and business expectations while delivering real value.
Product designers must be able to communicate complex design ideas to their team members while also presenting concepts to management and sharing their vision with developers to ensure smooth implementation.
Strong active listening skills are essential for positive collaboration and gathering valuable insights regarding user research. By actively listening, product designers can fully understand the perspectives of others, empathise with their challenges, and effectively incorporate their feedback into the design. Additionally, a product designer should be capable of mediating conflicts or misunderstandings that could slow down or hinder the design process.
Product designers can pursue various career paths depending on their specialisation and interest.
Product designers have opportunities to work in a variety of industries, including:
— Designers here typically focus on digital product design, including mobile apps, websites, and software interfaces.
— These designers work on creating physical products such as electronics, furniture, and household items.
— Automotive designers focus on the design of car interiors, exteriors, and user interfaces.
— Designers in this space create medical devices, equipment, and digital health products.
As a product designer, you can also specialise in specific areas, such as:
— Focusing on the user experience and interface design for digital products.
— Designing physical products like appliances, furniture, and electronics.
— Focusing on designing customer service experiences and processes.
The salary of a product designer can vary based on experience, skill set, and industry.
Several factors can influence a product designer's salary, such as:
Entry-Level Product Designer Salary: Fresh graduates can expect to earn around ₹4,00,000 to ₹6,00,000 per year.
Experienced Product Designer Salary: With 5-10 years of experience, a designer can expect to earn ₹8,00,000 to ₹12,00,000 or higher annually.
To build a successful career in product design, you need to focus on building a strong portfolio, gaining hands-on experience, and networking within the industry.
While holding a certificate from a respected design school can certainly help your career, employers are primarily interested in your portfolio. A strong portfolio is essential for demonstrating your creative and technical abilities, problem-solving skills, and approach to planning and executing design challenges. It should include your best work and present your design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and testing. You can use platforms like Behance, Adobe Portfolio, Squarespace and Dribble.
Internships with established brands and hands-on projects can allow you to learn from experienced designers, work on valuable projects, and make a positive impression on potential employers.
Those eager to work can take on freelance product design projects and gain practical experience in both design and client management. If you're not confident in presenting yourself as a professional product designer, consider offering your services at reduced rates to local businesses, charities, or even friends and family. This approach can help you build experience, expand your portfolio, and grow your skill set. Platforms such as LinkedIn, SimplyHired, Internshala, Indeed and 99designs offer opportunities to find freelance product design projects and internships, enabling you to gain practical experience, expand your portfolio, and enhance your skill set.
Staying updated with design trends, attending industry events, and joining design communities can help you expand your network and impress potential employers. Various resources include product design blogs(Mobbin, Inside Design by Invision and Smashing Magazine), podcasts(Wireframe Podcast by Adobe, Design Details with Brian Lovin and Marshall Bock, and Design Better with Eli Woolery and Aarron Walter) and social media accounts(Talia Cotton @taliasaccount, Kim G @kimbyarting, and Matthew Encina @matthewencina) that can help you stay relevant and increase your chances of landing opportunities.
Product design is an incredibly rewarding career for those passionate about creativity and problem-solving. As a product designer, you get the chance to shape the way people interact with products, improve their experiences, drive innovation and contribute to the success of businesses.
Whether you're interested in creating digital experiences, designing user-friendly physical products, or exploring new materials and technologies, a degree in product design will equip you with the expertise to thrive. As demand for skilled designers continues to grow, pursuing a degree will not only set you on a successful career path but also allow you to shape the future of design and make a difference.
While there is some overlap, UX designers and product designers are not the same. UX designers primarily focus on the user experience, ensuring that a product is intuitive and meets user needs. Product designers, on the other hand, take a broader approach, overseeing the entire design process, from concept and functionality to aesthetics and user experience. Product designers often work on both digital and physical products, while UX designers specialise in digital interfaces and user interactions.
While AI may automate certain aspects of the product design process, such as prototyping or generating design patterns, it is unlikely to fully replace product designers. Design requires a deep understanding of human behaviour, creativity, and empathy—qualities that AI cannot replicate. AI may speed up the process by providing tools and insights, but the role of designers will remain relevant.
Yes. As technology advances and businesses increasingly focus on creating innovative and user-centered products, the demand for skilled product designers will continue to rise. This demand spans across industries such as tech, healthcare, automotive and consumer goods, ensuring that there are ample opportunities for designers across various fields.
The primary difference between a UX designer and a product designer lies in their scope of work. A UX designer focuses primarily on user research, user testing, and optimising the usability of a product, ensuring it meets the needs and behaviors of its users. A product designer, however, handles a wider range of responsibilities, including the overall design strategy, functionality, aesthetics, prototyping and collaboration with other teams. Product designers work on both the user experience and the product’s design execution, covering a more comprehensive role.
About The Author
An independent architect and writer based in Bombay, Sukanya started as a practicing architect but soon discovered the vast potential for multifaceted roles within the AEC industry. This led her to explore a series of possibilities–from designin ... g and curating to researching and writing. Witnessing her designs come to life, critical thinking, and writing gave her a perspective both as a designer and a writer. With two years of independent work, she’s had the privilege of collaborating with publication houses, architectural studios, firms, organizations, and educational institutions. She advocates for mental health and is often found doing spoken word poetry.
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