The job of product design

I recently heard someone say that using a design system took all of the creativity away from the designer. I found this point of view troubling and ultimately think it leads to unhappy designers and poor software.

Many designers get into design as a career because as children they liked to draw and be creative. Art (painting, drawing, sculpting) is not a very easy profession to thrive in, so commercial design may seem like a good avenue to pursue. We all want to be creative and innovative and also get paid a living wage.

Unfortunately, the job of product design is not artistic most of the time. Most of product design is a methodical process that requires discipline, not inspiration.

Fundamentally, the job of product design is

1. Understand the domain (users, environment, business goals, functionality, and technical constraints)
2. Understand the existing product (design system, patterns, philosophy, style)
3. Understand the specific feature being built
4. Create a build specification for engineering so they can build the right thing
5. Communicate to all parties involved the details so they can align on the solution

That’s the job. That is what you get paid to do when you are a product designer.

There are times, few and far between, where some artistry is needed. Some examples are empty state illustrations, original brand design like logos, and when you build a design system from scratch. In general, this is 1% of the time you will spend as a designer.

When done properly, the difference between a product manager and product designer is not as much as you might think. In many companies, the product designer is relegated to the least important tasks and just executing the vision of the product manager. Although common, this results in poor products and disgruntled designers.

I often talk about organizations being Design-Led. This is when designers get involved very early in the process and create designs of how the product could be. Sometimes it is referred to as the “art of the possible”. This is a way for designers to get a true seat at the table.

Some designers think their job is just to do research and report on the ideal user experience, and then let the product manager or engineer decide. This is certainly not how I approach the job. We need to figure out the right solution, not just the best user experience for one corner of he product.

Jobs are usually a grind. Whether you make figma prototypes, or CAD architecture drawings, or marketing brochures, or any job you can imagine; there is always repetition involved.

Maybe this is a depressing way to put it, but once you accept that it is a job, you can focus on your own craftsmanship and doing the job to the best of your ability. It’s all how you look at it.

Many people are unhappy with their jobs precisely because they confuse what they want and what the job requires. I find it best to align these needs and usually the results are more pleasant for all parties.