Product design, a combination of UI and UX design, was listed as one of the best 50 jobs in America for 2021 by Glassdoor.
There are also predictions that the employment rate of product design will increase by 20% in 2022.
If you are looking for a new career that will expand your creativity, and guarantee steady growth, then product design is the right fit. There is no better time to learn the essential skills in product design, mainly UI and UX design.
The general focus in designing a product is to give a good user experience. Thus, it is not out of place to say product design creates the user experience of products for users. Product designers are UX designers focusing on the user and the company.
Many online courses and bootcamps teach product design as a UI and UX design combination. So, in this article, I will refer to UX design bootcamps a lot.
Also, there are many free online resources that can help you in your pursuit to become a product designer. You can sign up for online courses that you can take at your own pace and get certifications.
However, if you want a learning style where you can get precise answers to questions and learn directly from industry professionals, your best bet is a UX design Bootcamp. UX design bootcamps allow you to gain hands-on experience and relevant industry skills. It is essential to understand what you are getting into before learning. So, what is product design?
What is Product Design?
Product design combines user interface design and user experience design skills to design products that meet user needs and align with brand objectives. But, the name UX design is more prominent since the endpoint of the design is to create a good user experience. Thus, product design combines UI and UX skills to make a good user experience and meet the brand objectives.
To create a successful product, a product designer will conduct user research, conduct usability testing of products, and employ technical skills in UX design like creating prototypes, wireframing, etc.
Product designers also assess the likely consequences of design choices based on in-depth specialized experience and keep teams focused on the main objective. As a result, they can help avoid or reduce the risks associated with implementing design and maximize profit.
A product designer will also assist developers during deployment and collaborate with marketing teams to ensure brand and product cohesion. They are, in a nutshell, the product's defenders, ensuring that it is the most functional product possible while also satisfying all stakeholders.
The technicality involved in all of this can be overwhelming to learn independently. That is why it is advisable to attend a UX Bootcamp to gain hands-on experience in designing usable, functional, and profitable products.
Why should you learn product design in a Bootcamp?
There are many processes and methodologies in product design that you may become confused about as a beginner trying to learn without guidance. It would help if you could distinguish between things to know, ignore, and prioritize things. It might not be easy to determine this if industry professionals do not guide you. The guidance and direction on learning are why you should consider attending a UX Bootcamp to learn product design.
Let me quickly say that UX bootcamps teach product design. Product design is the name for the process, while user experience design is a generic name for designing products with a user-centric mindset. Thus, a UX designer can also be a product designer because the training is the same, and the technical skills involved are the same.
Moreso, as earlier said, most UX Bootcamps combine their UX and UI design courses as product design.
There are lots of benefits to gain from attending a Bootcamp. Product design bootcamps prepare students for real-world experience by working on realistic projects, assessing companies' products, and analyzing their designs with design theories while preferring practical suggestions or solutions to seeming problems.
The first thing most people do today when starting a career path is jump online and binge on some online course. While that is not bad, it's hard to become a pro like that.
For example, online courses cannot provide one-on-one mentorship; they cannot take you through the process of conducting UX research practically. They can only explain in theoretical terms. Meanwhile, a product design Bootcamp will take you hand in hand, monitor your growth, and ensure that you are competent. Aspiring designers cannot afford to gloss over important details. So, a UX Bootcamp is important to ensure wholesome learning.
Benefits of a UX Bootcamp
A UX Bootcamp has a lot to offer aspiring designers. If you want a good start in your career path as a UX designer, I'll recommend you start with a UX design Bootcamp. Let's see some of the reasons a UX Bootcamp comes highly recommended.
Access to One-on-One mentorship
One of the most significant advantages of UX design bootcamps is the ability to get instant answers to questions from your tutors. Beyond learning the fundamentals of user research and the technical knowledge of a UX designer needed for product design, you need proper mentorship to have a successful career as a product designer.
Online courses rarely offer mentorship. Mentorship is real interaction between you and your mentor, in this case, your Bootcamp tutors. There are times when you take UX design courses online, and you get stuck, and you wish you had an experienced UX designer around that could guide you on what to do.
However, you don't need to wander around for mentorship if you are in a UX design Bootcamp. There are enough professional UX designers around that can help you with any problem you face in your learning. So, if you want real-time mentorship in your pursuit of learning product design, attend a Bootcamp.
A UX Bootcamp will teach you how to build a professional portfolio
As an aspiring designer, having a professional portfolio is essential. Most UX bootcamps aim to train you to be job-ready so that you can take on any job after the Bootcamp. You cannot achieve that in the UX design space without a professional portfolio.
Thus, UX designers constantly update their portfolios so they can be on course and remain eligible for any UX job that comes their way. Most aspiring designers' challenges are the unavailability of projects to include in their portfolios. UX bootcamps bridge that gap by providing enough case studies.
The advantage of UX bootcamps over other methods of learning UX design is the practicality of the theories taught. It is not the same as watching a youtube video and learning alongside.
In UX design bootcamps, you approach each product design like a real project. You will conduct real UX research on the UI design of the product, the functionality, and usability; everything that concerns the product management. These processes help you have a robust professional portfolio.
Bootcamp certification gives you an advantage in the job market.
UX Bootcamps have a reputation and create an impression when they appear on your profile. Online study cannot give employers the impression that a certification from a UX Bootcamp will provide.
A certification from a UX Bootcamp is an indication that professionals have taught you. Although it does not guarantee that you are the best fit for the job, it gives you good leverage.
Some UX bootcamps like the GoCreate USA Bootcamp hire UX designers for design tech companies, and they will choose from their graduates. Alongside skill acquisition, a UX Bootcamp gives you an advantage in your job hunt process.
Final thoughts
A UX design Bootcamp gives you an edge in your UX career journey. It is safe to learn what to do from experts rather than trying to figure it out alone. This article provides some insights on why you should consider a UX Bootcamp.