Whether you're a project manager or a startup business owner, most of you lack the time or the in-house experts to help with product design. Product design is the process of creating, conceptualizing, designing, testing, and delivering products to provide solutions to problems and address the specific needs of the target audience.

Most companies in the UK lacking an in-house expert outsource the support they need and resort to hiring a product designer.

In this article, you will learn about the basic key concepts and principles of product design–why it is important in business, and the skills to look for searching for a professional product designer.

5 Reasons Why Product Design is Important

The design of a product determines its success–it can make or break your business. Here are five reasons why product design is important:

1. Creates the Initial, Unique User Experience

Product design is vital in the process of product development because it initially creates a unique user experience that will make a consumer want to use your product.

2. Attracts Prospects Customers and Builds Brand Loyalty

A digital product with a good design can grab the attention of a potential user and the user finding your product useful and functional can be a happy and loyal customer.

3. Provides Value to Consumers

By designing a product that meets the target audience’s needs, it provides value to the user and makes the consumer want to purchase the product again.

4. Enables the Creation of Seamless Digital Products

The process of product design involves planning, conceptualization and generation of ideas, the result enables the creation of successful and seamless digital products that provide solutions to consumers’ problems.

5. Helps in Creating More Profit

The outcome of a good product design will create more users, retain loyal consumers, and generate more profit for your business.

The Key Concepts and Principles in Product Design

Learning the basics of product design involves some of the key concepts and principles:

Contrast - the difference between 2 or more elements that give emphasis to the design.

Balance - symmetry weight of items on 2 opposite sides of the imaginary center line

Emphasis - highlights those cause elements of the design to appear more catchy than other elements

Proportion – the size of the elements in comparison to other elements within the design

Hierarchy - the most important element/s in the design becomes bigger and gives more emphasis on the appearance

Repetition - usage of the same colors, image, or format as an example, reinforces repetition of perception

Rhythm - the regular/irregular spacing between elements

Pattern - the repetition of the design elements

White Space - are areas in the design without design elements; it's also called negative space, and it's important to make selected elements in the design stand out

Movement - it is the way the viewer's eyes travel by looking at a design

Variety - design elements like color, textures, images, etc. combined create variety to veer away from being monotonous

Unity - to communicate a message or to show the relationship between the elements of the design visually

The Importance of Hiring a Product Designer

• Assistance and Insights from Experts and Specialists in Their Field
• Access to the Latest Technologies and Tools in Product Design
• Support and Collaboration with Our PDs during the Product Development and Even After Product Release
• Allows You to Use Your Time Wisely and Spend on Business Strategies
• Start Working on Your Project Immediately
• Save Your Time Interviewing and Selecting From the Vast Pool of Candidates

6 Product Designer Skills to Look For

When searching for a Product Designer, you should look for specific skills that match your business needs. Here are the skills you need to look for when hiring:

Problem-solver

Ask your candidates what problems or pain points they have encountered from previous jobs or projects, and take note of how they were able to resolve and overcome the bottlenecks. Ask them to tell you what the outcomes are and the methods they have used.

Tech stack

Product designers use software applications and technologies to get the job done. Ask them if they're familiar with the software that the company requires them to know, like Jira, Trello, Confluence, etc., for project management tools or Figma, for design--such tools they need to use for collaboration with projects.

illustration by Kakha Kakhadzen

Communication skills

Check out the candidates' communication skills. Does the candidate communicate clearly, and is he/she open to collaboration? A product designer needs to work with other developers, product owners, and project managers. It is vital that the candidate is able to communicate with team members for seamless product design deliverables.

Writing codes

The ability to write codes is a plus for a Product design candidate. Coding skills can vary in coding languages like C++, JavaScript, CSS, etc.

User Interface (UI) design

Product designers with UI design skills can build and develop products that are appealing, catchy, and easy to use for consumers.

UX Design

A Product Designer who has UX Design skills can help develop a digital product that creates a positive consumer or user experience. Prototyping or mockups and wireframing are some of the job tasks they can perform to test product usability and functionality.

To gauge expertise, evaluate the candidate if he/she knows what he/she is doing. Ask how many years of experience in product design the Product designer candidate practice.

Takeaway

The basic key concepts and principles of design include balance, contrast, proportion, emphasis, hierarchy, pattern, repetition, variety, movement, white space, and unity. Understanding how these elements and principles work together leads to creating a visually appealing effect. Since product design can lead to high profit and positive user experience, most startup companies in the UK hire a Product Designer if they don't have one in-house.

Limeup can provide you with impactful digital products such as web and mobile-integrated apps that can help your business be the leading choice in the market. Our team of experts can help you with product design and development support, and UX Design, Contact us today!