What does a Product Designer do?

The responsibilities of a product designer typically revolve around organizing and managing the various stages of a product's design. This usually begins with the initial concept for a product and creating numerous potential designs based on research, need, and problem-solving requirements. The designer typically works with a client to offer a number of potential designs, and orchestrates the efforts of other graphic designers, marketing professionals, and financial analysts to create a final product that is useful and cost-efficient. A great deal of the work done by a product designer incorporates the ideas and concerns of others, which means he or she typically works as part of a team.

A product designer is a person who works to design the overall look and aesthetic of a particular product. This can be anything from a tube of toothpaste or a bottle of mouthwash to a juice pouch or desk chair. The design process for any product typically begins with the initial conception of the product and early design work done by the designer. A product designer often begins with raw ideas, sketches, and models, then refines those concepts based on research and reports from focus groups, budgetary limitations, and various aesthetic principals.

The product designer then uses the concepts and designs he or she has created and pitches those ideas to officers within a company. Depending on whether the designer receives initial approval, this process can require numerous revisions and pitches of different concepts until one is agreed upon. The product designer can then begin working on actual development of the product in a way that can be reliably and affordably manufactured. This often involves working with graphic designers, engineers, and other professionals who work together to create the design that works best and can be created as easily and inexpensively as possible.

Once the product goes into production, a product designer typically continues to work on a project to coordinate efforts with advertisers and marketing professionals. The designer may also continue to work on new iterations of the product that improve upon earlier designs, based on new technology and response from customers. The need to work with others as part of a team is one of the major duties of a product designer, which means that interpersonal skills are just as important as artistic ability and business acumen.