What it *really* takes to be a Product Designer

Hello designer! You think you got what it takes to be a Product Designer these days? Watch my latest video, and me know what you think!

Resources:

Designer Fund

Jennifer Aaker

xo,
–A

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FAQ ✨

Name: Alexa
Where I’m from: Wisconsin → San Francisco → San Diego
About: I’m a designer! I live, breath, and value design. My background is in Graphic Design and digital Product Design and I’ve worked at a number of tech startups as a Product Designer as well as for larger industry leading tech companies such as Yelp and Zendesk. I’m currently a Senior Product Designer at Zendesk on the growth and monetization team.

Myers-briggs: ENFJ
Education: BFA, Graphic Design

Access my favorite free and low-cost resources on getting started in design:

Alexa’s digital guide to help get you started in Product Design:

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SOCIALS ☀️

Book 1:1 time with me! Career conversations, portfolio reviews, etc

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REMOTE DESIGN JOBS 👩‍💻

Looking for your next job? Check out my job board for a curated list of the best remote focused roles in Product Design, UX Research, Content Design, and Design Ops

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MY GEAR 📷

Camera: Canon EOS 70D
Teleprompter: Parrot Teleprompter 2
Lights: GoDox and NiceFoto
Microphone: Rode VideoMic Pro+
Editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro

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PARTNERSHIPS🔥

Let me know if you have any questions about the programs below:

$1,000 off of Springboard’s UI/UX Design Career Track
Use my code at checkout: HelloAlexaSB1000
$1,000 off UX Design Career Track
Use my code at checkout: HelloAlexaSB1000

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Designlab teaches in-demand UX/UI design skills in an async format with a focus on 1-on-1 mentorship and hands-on projects.

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CONTACT 💌

Disclaimer: Some links included in this page are affiliate links. That said, I only recommend products or services which I know, trust, and think are valuable for the community. If you purchase a product or service with one of these links, I may receive a small commission on this sale but this is at no additional cost to you. The earnings support me and my work so I can continue to provide you with great content and resources.

#productdesign #careers #designyourlife

[JustAGrl]

Thank you for making these videos! I'm considering making a career change into tech at almost 40 and these videos are really helpful. Don't see many people who are my age and look like me but I'm curious. I feel like I've reinvented myself every decade.

[sgnotlewis]

I like that the divider frame's background color, your nails, your jacket, and the Fiji bottle are all the same color. Subtle and nice. I like it.

[hazeljeon]

So well summarized. I wish I knew these 3 core elements when I first started my career. Thank you for always sharing the most helpful content in such a clear and articulate way!

[Elizabeth-mfdn]

Yay another female product designer! I keep seeing UX Designer videos but I’m a product designer

[honey]

this is a realistic and helpful video, thanks for making content like this

[johncliffalvarez]

I’m an illustrator and senior graphic designer who has been a product designer for a year. My question is, can an introvert with social anxiety still be a successful product designer? I’m very detailed oriented and very ambitiously driven. But when it comes to presentation or public speaking in general, I struggle greatly.

[yamithaux]

loving the content. Thanks for the knowledge sharing!.
btw, My home amazon Alexa triggers every time when you introduce your self in the video <3

[furquan]

Some great tips, love the tip around story telling. I've been doing a lot of writing and strategy work recently which i've been enjoying.

[giovanniviscardi]

Very informative, and good stuff, andiamo

[nomad]

How did you survive before getting into a successful position? I'm assuming most people worked at a restaurant, a home goods store, or had multiple jobs before getting any good money. What do you think is a really good side job to sustain yourself with?

[nomad]

Is product design a sustainable career? Or is it one of those things were it's really hard to find a position?

[smilli]

whats are top figma skills you need that you cant live without or most used in Ui jobs ?

[ukoekpenyong]

Hi Alexa, love the video and I want to get into product design but I have a hard time getting any roles because I don't have experience. what do you recommend?

[kawaiihikari]

Question you live in SD I live in the IE couple hours away is it possible to get a fully remote product design job?? I’m transferring from web design with a couple years experience but I’m wondering do people get out of state jobs in SoCal or within CA the same state we live in? Are they willing to go through that process ? I know it’s varies from company to company but in general ??

[AniimiiMusix]

Alexa, i really need your help to build me a strategy to get into this field. Is there anyway I can communicate with you? It would be a great help. Thanks!

[katscandance]

What steps in career should I take before I become a product designer

[ChrisJackson-htun]

Hi Alexa,
I will love to be a product designer. I don't have any skill or knowledge about it. Can you please recommend a program I can take to start learning and build the skills?

[icksv]

0:03 No it is not cool at all. Businesses pick for PD thinking they will be able to master the UI profession, the UX profession and also some of the PM, and many PDs actually think they can, which is simply impossible on one side because you are not going to work simultaneously on all these aspects and on the other side because it simply ignore how human brain works, which is progressively and fast removing from your mind all that you do not use on daily basis, this is not just the reality but a science based fact.
The idea of the PD borrowed from industrial design and adapted to the digital world, it's a functional illusion as much as combining two professions to get the UX/UI title job, which again pose the same problems.
The final result is teams made of PDs and zero UX and more than often you can see the results of this, basic ux mistakes in the product.
We went through this with the Fullstack Developers, where businesses thought they would have had a master of Backend and a master of Frontend, with some Fullstack Dev pumped up by this idea playing like if they could really master Backend or Frontend like a Backend or Frontend Developer.
Disclaimer: I was a Web Designer in 2000 and PD in 2015 before dedicate to UX.

[IslamicLifeDesign]

HI! What programmes can I take in university to become a product designer? :)