Other titles for the Product Designer, or similar or overlapping roles: UX Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Digital Product Designer, Experience Designer
The Product Designer is responsible for ensuring an optimal user experience (UX) by conducting research, creating wireframes and prototypes, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure intuitive, visually appealing, and functional designs that align with business and user needs.
Product managers and product designers work as close partners throughout the product’s lifecycle. The product manager defines the product strategy and functional requirements, while the product designer transforms these into a user-centric, engaging experience. They collaborate from the earliest stages of product discovery through to prototyping, testing, and final execution, ensuring that every decision is informed by both market needs and user feedback.
Product Discovery & Collaboration:
The product manager involves the product designer from the very beginning to explore customer needs and define the product’s strategic direction. Together, they analyze market opportunities, align on priorities, and work iteratively to shape a product that meets both user expectations and business objectives.
User Experience (UX) Design:
The product manager works with the designer to map out the entire customer journey, ensuring that every touch point reflects the brand and meets market demands. While the manager provides insights on business strategy and competitive positioning, the designer focuses on crafting an experience that delights users across all interactions.
Prototyping & Iterative Testing:
In this phase, the product manager and product designer collaborate on building and refining prototypes to validate ideas quickly. The manager outlines the key assumptions and success metrics, and the designer creates and tests different design iterations, using user feedback to make informed improvements.
Interaction & Visual Design Requirements:
The product manager communicates the product’s functional requirements and market constraints, while the product designer provides the requirements for the user interface (UI) design. This close collaboration ensures that the final design not only functions, but also delivers a seamless and intuitive user experience allows for the maximum customer value.