PRODUCT DESIGNERS
What is product design?
Product design is the process of designing a new product, from digital products such as mobile apps to physical products such as furniture. There are many different approaches to product design, and the process can vary greatly depending on the type of product.
Here’s a quick overview of the skills you should look for in product design professionals:
- Product design
- 3D design (for physical products)
- UI/UX design (for digital products)
- Product-specific expertise (e.g., Adobe InDesign for creating print media products)
Why do you want to hire product designers?
The trick to finding top product designers is to identify your needs. What type of product are you trying to create? A product designer working on a physical product will likely need experience with CAD (computer-aided design) software. Someone designing a SaaS (software-as-a-service) product will likely need experience with UX design. The cost of your project will depend largely on your scope of work and the specific skills needed to bring your project to life.
HOW TO HIRE PRODUCT DESIGNERS
Whether you’re designing a physical or digital product, you need someone who can gather product requirements and turn them into the initial designs that will be used to bring it to life.
So how do you hire product designers? What follows are some tips for finding top product designers on Upwork.
How to shortlist product design professionals
As you’re browsing available product design consultants, it can be helpful to develop a shortlist of the professionals you may want to interview. You can screen profiles on criteria such as:
- Industry fit. You want a product designer who understands the nuances and technical challenges of designing a product for your industry.
- Project experience. Screen candidate profiles for specific skills and experience (e.g., designing the UI of a mobile app).
- Feedback. Check reviews from past clients for glowing testimonials or red flags that can tell you what it’s like to work with a particular product designer.
How to write an effective product design job post
With a clear picture of your ideal product designer in mind, it’s time to write that job post. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a freelancer to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
An effective product design job post should include:
- Scope of work: From 3D cad files to 2D UI layouts, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries or design tools, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Ready to transform your product ideas into working designs? Log in and post your product design job on Upwork today.
FAQS FOR HIRING PRODUCT DESIGNERS
How much does it cost to hire a product designer?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced product designer may command higher fees but also work faster, have more specialized areas of expertise, and deliver a higher-quality product.
- A freelancer who is still in the process of building a client base may price their product design services more competitively.
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.
How long should you contract a product designer to complete your project?
As difficult as it is to estimate how long it takes to design a product, budgeting time is very important to keeping your project on track.
Be prepared to budget more time for demanding product designs. For example, designing branded T-shirts for your music label will typically take less time than drafting engineering drawings for a lithium ion battery pack.
What are the steps involved to hire product designers?
Here’s how to hire product design consultants in four simple steps:
- Identify your project needs, whether it’s a digital or physical product.
- Define the scope of work and write a detailed job post. Be specific about deliverables (e.g., UI layouts and user stories for a new mobile app).
- Review proposals and shortlist potential product designers for unique skills needed to bring your project to life (e.g., experience designing plastic components with AutoCAD).
- Interview product design talent to gauge whether they’re the right fit for your project. Here are some sample interview questions.