I just saw someone on LinkedIn differentiating between the positions of UX Designer and Product Designer, and it made me wonder if UX Designer is a position that can only be practiced for digital products.
The Role of Product Designer
Product designers were originally intended to design the packaging for products, whether it be food or other items. Their focus was on creating the physical aspects that made products appealing and functional. However, in recent years, this role has evolved significantly.
For digital products, the specific title used to be Digital Product Designer. But now, many companies have started using the title Product Designer for those who design digital products. This change reflects the industry's recognition of the broader scope of product design, which now encompasses the entire lifecycle of a product, from conceptualization to user interface and user experience design. Product Designers today work on creating cohesive and engaging experiences for users, ensuring that the digital product is both usable and delightful.
The Role of UX Designer
User Experience (UX) design focuses on the overall experience a user has when interacting with a product or service. This involves a deep understanding of user needs, behaviors, and pain points to create intuitive and effective solutions.
Traditionally, UX design has been closely associated with digital products, like websites, mobile apps, and software. UX designers create wireframes, user flows, and prototypes to ensure that the digital product meets user expectations and provides a seamless experience.
As for the specific position of UX Designer, can this discipline be applied in places other than digital products? Personally, I think it's possible, and it's already happening. This discipline can be applied in the field of transportation services, such as airports. Managing the flow of how people move from check-in to boarding is similar to creating a flow for digital products. Without this discipline, airports would just be crowded places where people check-in and board airplanes randomly. UX design helps in organizing and optimizing this process, ensuring a smoother experience for everyone.
Update [November 9, 2021]:
The Emergence of Service Design
I recently learned about Service Design, a role that focuses on designing a service, whether it be public transportation, tourism services, or many others. Service Design is about understanding and improving the interaction between service providers and users across various touchpoints.
Service designers work on a broad spectrum of services, applying design thinking to create efficient, effective, and user-centric services. For example, in public transportation, a service designer might work on improving the user experience from the moment a passenger plans their journey to the point they reach their destination. This involves considering various elements such as ticketing, wayfinding, vehicle design, and customer support.
Service Design highlights the application of UX principles beyond digital interfaces, demonstrating that enhancing user experience is universally relevant, regardless of the medium.
