Photo by Akshay Nanavati on Unsplash

So You Want to Become a Designer

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

I often get asked how to get started in product design. Some wonder if it might be “too late” to make the jump. Perhaps, like me, they didn’t know they wanted to be a designer growing up. Although there’s not one path to becoming a product designer, charting one and following it through is an essential first step.

Make sure you‘re going after the right role

First, make sure you actually want to be a designer. Often times, I talk to aspiring designers only to find out the role they should be going for is actually product manager or user researcher.

• What are the aspects of design that you enjoy the most?
• Are there other roles that meet more of your interests?
• What do you envision doing on a day-to-day that fills you with energy?

Do your homework

So you know you want to be a designer, do you know which type? Depending on location and company, titles and scope of work may differ.

• Do you enjoy strategic thinking and concept development?
• Can’t stop thinking about color schemes and fonts?
• Do you prefer to communicate through wireframes and flows?