Product Designer vs. UX Designer: Key Differences

“If great design was born in research, there’d be a lot more great design. It’s not the research that matters, it’s what you do with the information and what you choose not to use.”

— Robert Brunner, Chief Designer at Beats by Dr. Dre, on The Product Podcast

It’s easy to see why there’s confusion between Product Design and UX Design. After all, both roles aim to create satisfying user experiences. And if both are focused on the user, what truly is the difference? 

That is exactly our goal here — to explore the unique roles each plays, their responsibilities, required skills, and even salary expectations. 

Plus, we’ll look at how to become a UX or Product Designer and offer insights to help you decide which path might be right for you. Whether you’re just starting out or thinking of swap roles, this guide will clear up quite a few things.

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What Is a UX Designer?

A UX (User Experience) Designer’s job is to enhance the way people interact with a product. They ensure every step is easy, intuitive, and, ideally, enjoyable. Their focus is on the user journey — from the moment someone lands on a website or app, through each interaction, and all the way to completing their goal. UX Designers work to make this user flow seamless and reduce any friction users might feel along the way.

The field of UX design has roots in disciplines like psychology, design, and even ergonomics. It really took off in the late 1990s and early 2000s when companies started shifting their focus from just functionality to user-centric design. This approach was championed by tech pioneers like Apple, who realized that if users felt comfortable and understood a product, they’d not only use it more but stay loyal.

Today, UX Designers can be found across a wide range of industries — anywhere there’s a digital product, from tech giants like Google and Microsoft to e-commerce platforms, healthcare apps, and educational tools. Their work often involves a lot of collaboration, as they team up with developers, Product Designers, and researchers to design, test, and refine user pathways based on real feedback.

Essentially, a UX Designer is the voice of the user within a company. Their job is to make sure that every button, page layout, and interactive element serves the user’s needs.

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What Is a Product Designer?

A Product Designer is the multi-tool of the design world. Their role covers the entire product lifecycle, from concept to final polish. Unlike UX Designers, who focus primarily on user interactions, Product Designers look at the big picture of a product. They consider not only how users will interact with a product but also how it aligns with the product vision and strategy, the company’s business goals, visual style, and functionality requirements.

Product Design as a field emerged from a mix of industrial design and user-centered design. It gained momentum as tech companies realized they needed a more holistic approach to creating digital products. 

In the last decade, give or take, Product Designers can be found in all types of companies — from startups developing their first MVP to large tech firms with established design teams. Companies like Airbnb, Facebook, and Shopify led the charge in this space. They build out full teams of Product Designers to guide every stage of product development.

They’re involved in everything from user research, market research, and prototyping to collaborating with engineers and marketers. Their skill set is diverse, often including UX/UI design, branding, and even basic coding. This flexibility helps them adapt to different phases of a project, whether it’s wireframing a new feature, designing a sleek interface, or aligning the team with the product’s vision.

Product Design and UX Design: What's the difference?

The key difference between Product Designers and UX Designers lies in their focus areas. 

Product Design is generally broader. It encompasses the entire product lifecycle — from product strategy and user needs to aesthetics and brand alignment. Product Designers focus on creating a product that meets business objectives and functions and appeals to users. 

UX Design, on the other hand, is more narrow. It is centered specifically around how a user experiences the product. UX Designers focus on the ease, intuitiveness, and overall journey of the user, working to ensure that each interaction makes sense and flows naturally from one step to the next.

Let’s say a team is working on a new fitness app. A UX Designer would focus on the user flow — making sure users can easily set goals, log workouts, and view progress in an intuitive way. They would run user tests to identify any friction points, like if users struggle to find the workout tracker or abandon the app during onboarding.

A Product Designer, however, would consider these UX details alongside broader aspects like the app’s visual style, product launch plan, product roadmap alignment, and alignment with other features. They would ensure the app feels cohesive with the company’s brand and offers long-term value to the company, like in-app purchases or user retention features.

UX Designer vs Product Designer: The Blurring of Roles

In many organizations, especially startups or smaller companies, these roles often overlap. 

A Product Designer may be expected to handle UX tasks, and a UX Designer might contribute to product strategy discussions. This is largely due to the flexibility smaller teams require and the need for individuals who can wear multiple hats. 

Additionally, in companies that prioritize Agile product management, the lines between Product and UX Design can blur as well. This fast-paced, collaborative environment means that UX Designers and Product Designers often cross paths.

In larger organizations with well-defined product development processes, you’re more likely to find these roles distinct. However, even in these cases, collaboration is essential, and both roles often work closely together within cross-functional teams.

Frequency of Both Roles in Organizations

It’s common for organizations to employ both UX and Product Designers. Companies focused on delivering a seamless product experience and scaling their products benefit from this tandem. 

Departments that Lean Toward Each Role

• UX Design: Typically found within teams focused on user experience, customer satisfaction, and digital interfaces. This includes departments like Customer Experience, UI/UX, and Design Research.

• Product Design: Often embedded in Product Development, Innovation, or Strategic Design teams. They’re commonly seen in organizations that prioritize aligning product development with business strategy, such as tech firms and large product-focused organizations.

Skill Requirements: Product Designer vs. UX/UI Designer

There are many skills that Product Designers and UX Designers share, given their overlapping goals. However, each role has unique skill requirements due to the different focuses and responsibilities. The exact skills required can vary across organizations depending on the structure, company size, and specific role demands.

Core Skills Shared by Both Product and UX Designers:

• Proficiency in Design Tools: Product and UX Designers need to be adept with design tools like Figma, Sketch, and Adobe Creative Suite. These support tasks ranging from wireframing to prototyping. These tools are essential for designing, testing, and refining product features​.

• Problem-Solving: Designers must be able to think creatively and strategically to find solutions that satisfy both user needs and business objectives​.

• User Research: Both roles often engage in user research to understand user needs, though Product Designers may also consider market trends.

• Wireframing and Prototyping: Creating wireframes and interactive prototypes to test MVPs, designs, and workflows is central to both roles.

• Visual and Interaction Design: Each designer must have strong fundamentals in visual hierarchy, layout, and interaction principles to create intuitive designs.

• Collaboration: Whether working with developers, stakeholders, or other designers, both roles require effective teamwork to bring designs to life.

• Empathy and Communication: Understanding user pain points and effectively communicating design decisions is essential for success in both roles.

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: This can include analyzing product metrics, feedback, or A/B test results to make informed design decisions that directly impact user experience and satisfaction​

Skills Specific to Product Designers:

• Product Strategy: Product Designers need a broader understanding of product strategy, aligning their work with business objectives and customer goals. This strategic outlook requires both design thinking and business acumen, focusing on the product lifecycle and success of the product.

• UI (User Interface) Design: While UX Designers may contribute to interface design, Product Designers are often more directly responsible for creating visually cohesive and appealing UI elements.

• Project Management: Product Designers frequently oversee product development phases, coordinating with teams and sometimes managing timelines and deliverables, making project management skills highly valuable.

• Analytical Thinking: Product Designers use data and metrics, such as user behavior analytics, to make informed design decisions and iteratively improve the product based on quantifiable insights.

Skills Specific to UX Designers:

• Usability Testing: UX Designers focus heavily on user research and testing usability to ensure a seamless user experience, conducting tests to identify and resolve pain points.

• Information Architecture: This skill is more central to UX Designers, who work on organizing information to create logical, user-friendly layouts and flows.

• Interaction Design: UX Designers are typically more focused on designing specific user interactions and micro-interactions. This enhances the responsiveness and intuitiveness of the product.

• User Psychology and Behavioral Science: UX Designers benefit from a deep understanding of human psychology to anticipate and meet user needs. They apply these insights directly to improve usability and engagement.

In summary, while Product Designers are the “big picture” strategists overseeing the entire product experience, UX Designers are specialists focusing on the detailed user experience. 

Product Designers often work more closely with cross-functional stakeholders, such as product managers and executives, due to their broader responsibility for the product's lifecycle. 

UX Designers, however, usually collaborate closely with developers and fellow designers to refine usability and ensure a smooth interaction flow for users​.

Salary Expectations for Product and User Experience Designers

The salaries of product and user experience (UX) designers in the United States have a good learning potential. These salaries are often influenced by seniority level, location, and company size. Let’s take a detailed look:

User Experience Designer Salary

The average annual salary for a User Experience (UX) Designer in the United States is around $124,757. According to Indeed, UX Designers can expect to earn anywhere from $82,911 to $187,723 depending on experience, location, and company. 

Their data shows that 981 UX Designer salaries were reported, making this a solid benchmark for those considering this career.

In terms of high-paying locations, Annapolis Junction, MD, tops the list, with UX Designers earning an impressive $202,866 per year on average. Other high-paying cities include Santa Clara, CA ($148,162), New York, NY ($142,144), and San Francisco, CA ($137,569).

Internships and junior-level positions, such as UX Design Interns, typically pay an hourly rate, with averages of around $20.88 per hour. For more experienced roles, like Senior UX Designers, the average salary is approximately $129,951 per year, providing growth opportunities for UX professionals.

Product Designer Salary

Product Designers in the United States earn an average of $122,379 annually. Salaries range from $71,912 to $208,264. This wide salary gap is based on factors such as location, seniority, and company specialization. With over 1,500 reported salaries, this average is reliable for those evaluating the financial prospects of this role.

The city with the highest pay for product designers is Menlo Park, CA, where the average salary is $197,376 per year. Other top-paying locations include Cupertino, CA ($170,029), San Francisco, CA ($169,367), and Mountain View, CA ($147,254).

For those in entry-level roles, such as Entry Level Product Designer, the average salary is around $58,433 per year. Junior Product Designers can expect slightly higher earnings at $61,914 annually. More experienced professionals, like Senior Product Designers, earn an average of $162,655 per year, demonstrating the career growth potential in this field.

These roles offer strong salary prospects. This is especially true in tech-heavy regions where demand for Product and UX Designers is particularly high.

Career Path for Design Roles

“To understand design, you need to get beyond the basic schedule and really understand what happens at each phase—research, concept development, and how design is maintained through engineering. It's about building bridges between different cultures and organizations.”

— Robert Brunner, Chief Designer at Beats by Dr. Dre, on The Product Podcast

Building a career as a Product Designer or UX Designer is all about blending creativity with practical skills that solve real user problems. Both roles require a mix of design expertise, empathy, and collaboration, but each has its unique focus and growth trajectory. 

Whether you're drawn to creating user experiences or designing entire products, it's a good idea to get a head start.

How to Become a Product Designer

Becoming a product designer takes dedication, hands-on experience, and a knack for solving real-world problems with creative solutions. Here’s a roadmap to get you started:

• Build a Strong Foundation in Design PrinciplesLearn the basics — color, typography, layout, and hierarchy. Design isn’t just about making things look good; it’s about usability and product experience. Check out online courses, books, or tutorials to master the essentials.

• Learn Key Design Tools
  Get comfortable with tools like Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, and InVision. Focus on one tool at a time, then branch out. Consider exploring AI tools — they’re becoming industry staples!

• Develop an Understanding of Product Design
  Product design hinges on great product experience. Learn about usability, accessibility, and user research to build user-centered designs. Dive into product channels, user flows, Agile user stories, and usability testing to see what makes a product truly effective.

• Build a Portfolio with Real Projects
  Start with small projects, redesigns, or challenges on platforms like Dribbble or Behance. Show your design process from research to solution. Your portfolio should highlight how you solve user problems and also consider the product holistically.

• Learn Basic Front-End Development
  While optional, knowing a bit of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can help you understand technical constraints and make your designs more feasible.

• Master Collaboration and Communication SkillsYou’ll work with developers, product managers, and more. Practicing how to explain your ideas and receiving feedback is crucial. Tools like Slack and Miro enhance team collaboration globally, so get acquainted with them.

• Stay Updated and Keep Learning
  Design trends change fast! Read blogs, join webinars, sign up for certifications, and follow industry leaders to stay on top of new tools and methods.

• Apply for Internships or Entry-Level Positions
  Real-world experience is key. Internships, freelance gigs, or junior roles help you get comfortable with the daily work of a product designer.

• Seek Feedback and Iterate on Your Work
  Share your designs, accept feedback, and make improvements. Iteration is a huge part of growing as a designer—don’t be afraid to refine and revise.

For more details, check out this comprehensive guide on becoming a product designer!

How to Become a UX Designer

Ready to dive into UX design? Here’s a simple path to help you build the skills and experience needed to succeed in this rewarding field:

• Understand Core UX Principles
  Start with the basics—usability, accessibility, and user-centered design. These are the foundation of all good UX, so focus on mastering them early.

• Learn UX Research MethodsResearch is a huge part of UX design. Get comfortable with techniques like user interviews, surveys, and usability testing to understand real user needs and behaviors.

• Master Key Design Tools
  Familiarize yourself with tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and InVision. Pick one to start, then expand. Knowing when and why to use these tools is as important as knowing how to use them.

• Build a Strong Portfolio with User-Centered Projects
  Create a portfolio that highlights your research, process, and design solutions. Start with small projects or redesigns to showcase your ability to solve user problems effectively.

• Gain a Basic Understanding of Visual Design
  While UX design isn’t purely visual, having a grasp on layout, typography, and color theory will help you create clean, effective interfaces.

• Develop Prototyping Skills
  Prototyping lets you bring your ideas to life. Practice creating interactive prototypes to test your designs and refine them based on feedback.

• Work on Your Communication Skills
  UX Designers work with various stakeholders. Practice explaining your design choices and the insights behind them clearly and concisely.

• Seek Real-World Experience through Internships or Freelance Work
  Look for opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in a real-world setting. Internships and freelance gigs provide valuable hands-on experience and can boost your confidence.

• Embrace Feedback and Keep Iterating
  The best UX designers constantly seek feedback and refine their work. Be open to constructive criticism, and remember that great designs often take several iterations.

Each of these steps helps you build a strong foundation in UX design, bringing you closer to a fulfilling career.

How to Choose: Product Design vs. UX Design Career Paths

Deciding between Product Design and UX Design can be challenging, especially since both roles are user-focused and require similar skills. Here are some questions and advice to help you determine which path might be a better fit for you.

Do You Enjoy Big-Picture Strategy or Specific User Flows?

Product Designers work at a high level. They focus on the entire product lifecycle, aligning with business objectives and considering how the product fits within a larger ecosystem. If you love big-picture thinking and strategic planning, Product Design could be your calling.

On the other hand, UX Designers dive deep into specific user flows, ensuring that every interaction is smooth and intuitive. If you prefer focusing on the fine details of the user journey, UX Design may be a better match.

Are You Comfortable Working with Visual and Brand Elements?

While both roles require visual design skills, Product Designers are often more involved with branding and ensuring a cohesive visual style across the entire product. If you’re interested in the aesthetics and brand alignment of a product, Product Design might be more appealing.

If you prefer functionality over visuals and are focused on the seamlessness of the user experience, UX Design might be the better fit.

Are You Interested in User Research and Testing?

User research and testing are at the core of UX Design. If you’re passionate about gathering user insights, conducting usability tests, and iterating based on feedback, UX Design is likely a strong choice.

While Product Designers also conduct research, their focus often includes market research, customer discovery, and strategic analysis rather than just user testing.

Are You Excited About Business Objectives and Product Strategy?

If aligning design decisions with product strategy excites you, Product Design might be the right fit. Product Designers often take a strategic approach, ensuring that their work drives value not just for users but also for the business.

For those less interested in the business side and more invested in the user’s immediate experience, UX Design might be a better choice.

Do You Like Working in Specialized or Overlapping Roles?

In smaller companies, these roles can overlap. If you’re comfortable wearing multiple hats and like the flexibility of handling both UX and Product Design responsibilities, you might thrive in a Product Designer role.

If you prefer focusing on a specialized role with a direct impact on user interactions, UX Design may suit you better, especially in companies with well-defined design teams.

Are You Open to Continuous Learning in a Rapidly Evolving Field?

Both roles require continuous learning, but UX Designers need to stay especially updated on user behavior trends, accessibility standards, and UX principles. If you enjoy learning about user psychology and behavioral science, UX Design could be a great fit.

Product Designers should be ready to learn about broader design trends and strategic thinking, as well as how products fit within competitive markets.

Each of these points offers insights to help you find the path that best aligns with your strengths, interests, and career goals. Take the time to consider what excites you most, and you’ll be well on your way to choosing the right design career path.

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