Product design for product owners & developers
Designers, developers and product owners all gain by dabbling in each other’s expertise. It is easier to communicate your vision when you speak Figma or Javascript (or user research or product strategy). In the case of product design, it helps you clarify what you want — for instance by showing some user research or wireframes — to get the best out of your designer. This article is for developers & product owners who want a good introduction on design without being overwhelmed.
If you want holistic knowledge on product design, start with “UI/UX courses”. If you are trying to solve a specific challenge in your product jump to “Real life examples/ Case studies”.
UI/UX courses
I know courses are time consuming but you have to start somewhere to grasp the methodologies designers base their designs on. If you are looking for a quick intro on UI/UX, I strongly recommend this course by Accenture “Digital Skills: User Experience”. It is only 6 hours, is free and you can get a certification when you complete it https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/digital-skills-user-experience. For a more in-depth but never-ending course you can refer to la crème de la crème, the Google UX Design Professional Certificate https://www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/google-ux-design
UI/UX course tip
There are many paid classes, typically above $3,000 and 3 months long— I wouldn’t invest in it. Instead, go to the syllabus of a paid course and google each chapter as you learn. You get will get free resources on Medium, Youtube & blogs that will explain the concept for free… And curating the knowledge yourself really helps to be a less cookie-cutter designer that followed the same classes.
Real life examples/ Case studies
If you would rather dive in a specific challenge you have, search on medium “[insert industry or flow here] + product design case”.
e.g.: sign-in/ create an account product design case
to look how designers solve the pain points of their users step by step from research to final mockups, and get inspiration from them. An example of a good case study: https://medium.com/ux-planet/the-ux-design-case-study-that-got-me-hired-c85522cab4ae
Superfast user research
Look for competitors, go one their google play or apple store reviews page. Look at repeating complaints to get inspiration for a better value proposition than your competitors. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.linkedin.android&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1
Superfast wireframes
Figma can be challenging to learn and not always necessary for you. Draw quick wireframes to make sure your solution makes sense guide the designer in the direction you want with intuitive Whimsical https://whimsical.com/.
Tips on mockups
Demystify design with this article: https://medium.com/refactoring-ui/7-practical-tips-for-cheating-at-design-40c736799886. The best, simple medium article to make your designs look 10 times better if you are trying out designing for the first time.
About me
To view more of my work, go here: https://medium.com/@gwenndesignMy portofolio: https://www.gwennlepechoux.com/
I work at Lizard Global, a web-development agency based in Malaysia and in the Netherlands. We provide data-driven digital solutions to partners from a wide range of industries. Check out more about Lizard here: https://www.lizard.global/
