How To Identify a Truly Talented Product Designer
What should you look for in a product designer? Whether or not you’re directly involved in hiring, it’s valuable to understand what makes a strong product designer. This is especially true if you’ve successfully made the case to bring on a design resource for the first time and it’s time for your team or organization to consider candidates. Keep in mind, there is no one-size-fits-all model for product designers. For example, the design capabilities required for a digital product differ from a consumer packaged good. The strengths and work experiences you should look for depend on your design needs and the metrics you want to move (as outlined in part one of this series). That said, at Pragmatic Institute, we believe the best product designers share a few values and characteristics. A Rigorous Curiosity A great designer has developed a deep curiosity about people and a passion for understanding users. What does the user want to achieve, and what’s standing in their way? What decisions and actions does the user need to take with the information at hand? What are their pain points, thoughts and feelings? With whom do they collaborate? If a candidate for a design role asks a
