Design is one of the most popular majors in the world. Right at the top of the pyramid – Product Design. The highly analytical and yet creative career is highly in demand.
Every year, thousands of students graduate from a design degree. Yet, only a minority of them will ever work in a design-related field. Not so in product design. The cross-disciplinary field of work combined creativity, design, product analytics and business thinking to generate a career that's highly in demand.
And the growth of the product designer is not looking to slow down. As UI and UX work becomes more important, so is the role of the product designer.
A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build deeper understanding and also act as a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.
These are our and our experts top picks to get started building career-relevant skills.
This is a practical, big-picture book about design thinking from Tim Brown of IDEO, focused on how teams turn human needs into better products, services, and business ideas. It is a good pick for someone learning Product Design because it connects user-centered design, prototyping, and innovation w…
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
John Maeda lays out ten short principles for balancing simplicity and complexity in products, interfaces, and technology. It is a useful read for product designers who want a clearer sense of what makes something feel simple to use, without stripping away the power people actually need.
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
This book looks at product design as a collaborative process, not something done by a small internal team in isolation. It focuses on "open engineering," showing how designers and engineers can work more closely with customers, suppliers, and other teams to improve ideas and speed up development. I…
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
This is a classic book on human-centered design and usability. Donald Norman explains why everyday objects confuse people, then shows practical ideas like affordances, feedback, mapping, and constraints that help products feel clear and intuitive. It is a strong pick for anyone learning Product Des…
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
A classic, approachable book on web usability and interaction design, focused on making interfaces easy to understand and navigate. Product designers pick it up for its practical guidance on information architecture, navigation, user testing, and mobile usability, all explained in a quick, readable…
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
In User Friendly, Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant reveal the untold story of a paradigm that quietly rules our modern lives: the assumption that machines should anticipate what we need. Spanning over a century of sweeping changes, from women’s rights to the Great Depression to World War II to the …
Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.
These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are usually accompanied by projects and a learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.
Our experts recommend these courses, from free selections to paid programs.
For Basic and Intermediate Users
Available on udemy.com
Learn how to design experiences users love. Uncover the secrets of businesses able to keep users coming back.
Available on udemy.com
At Home Engineering The Course has helped thousands of people worldwide to learn CAD and product design. This is the course to learn CAD, product design, and engineering fundamentals. I have over 8 years of experience designing and building in industry and research, and I have a Masters of Scien…
Available on udemy.com
Get personalized mentor recommendations based on your goals and experience level
Start matchingThe capstone course, part of the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, will be a cumulative experience incorporating all aspects of the design thinking process, from end to end. In this course, you will be asked to solve a problem using the design thinking process. You will demonstrate your unde…
Available on edx.org
Get an introduction to agile product development and design thinking so you can build better digital products. Discover how to create useful digital products using agile and design thinking. Despite everyone’s good intentions, hard work and solid ideas, too many projects end up creating unneeded…
Available on futurelearn.com
This Specialization is designed for aspiring and active product leaders seeking to pursue careers in product management, product design, and related roles. Through five practical courses, you will learn the fundamentals for designing and managing products. Upon completion, you will have created …
Available on coursera.org
There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!
Already working in the Product Designer field? Our Product Design consultants can help you and your team overcome challenges, implement best practices, and achieve your professional goals faster.
Connect with Product Design ConsultantsNot only is the progression from individual Product Designer to a Senior role a natural progression, it also makes all the difference in your average salary.
On a global average, Senior Product Designer receive a $33,000 salary hike over entry-level Product Designers when they go from individual contributor to senior personnel.
Ready to find your footing in this competitive and fulfilling career? Let our mentors help you!
