Product designer

Product designers create new products and improve existing ones.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In your day-to-day duties you could:

  • discuss what your client wants
  • investigate how existing products work or how services are used
  • develop ideas and make initial sketches or outline plans
  • decide on suitable materials or resources
  • use computer design software to produce detailed blueprints
  • make samples or working models, known as prototypes
  • test and refine designs

Working environment

You could work in a workshop, in a creative studio or in an office.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to senior designer, then creative director.

You could also move into project management or design management.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • design skills and knowledge
  • the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • understanding of technology, materials and manufacturing methods
  • analytical thinking skills
  • persistence and determination
  • thinking and reasoning skills
  • complex problem-solving skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Most relevant

  • Design and Technology - Product designers use design processes every day – from initial sketches and material selection to building prototypes and testing them. Understanding how different materials behave and how manufacturing methods work is essential for creating products that can actually be made and used.
  • Art and Design - Product designers need strong visual and creative skills to develop ideas, sketch concepts, and communicate their designs to clients and manufacturers. Understanding form, colour, proportion, and aesthetics helps them create products that are both functional and appealing.
  • Engineering - Product designers work closely with engineering principles when designing products that need to function reliably and be manufactured at scale. They need to understand how mechanisms, structures, and systems work so their designs are practical and not just good-looking.
  • Mathematics - Product designers use measurements, geometry, and spatial reasoning when creating technical drawings and blueprints. Calculating dimensions, tolerances, and material quantities is a routine part of turning a concept into a product that can be manufactured accurately.
  • Physics - Product designers need to understand forces, materials properties, and how objects behave under stress so their designs are safe and functional. Knowledge of mechanics, thermodynamics, and energy is important when designing products that move, support weight, or interact with the physical world.

Also relevant

  • Computer Science - Product designers use computer-aided design (CAD) software extensively, and some work with parametric modelling or scripting to automate design tasks. Understanding how software tools work at a deeper level helps them customise workflows and solve complex design challenges more efficiently.
  • Business - Product designers need to understand market needs, client briefs, and commercial viability when developing new products. Knowing how businesses operate helps them design products that meet customer demand and can be produced within budget.
  • Environmental Science - Product designers increasingly consider sustainability when choosing materials, reducing waste, and designing for recyclability. Understanding environmental impacts helps them make responsible choices about how products are made, used, and disposed of.
  • Chemistry - Product designers select from a wide range of materials – plastics, metals, composites, and coatings – and need to understand their chemical properties. Knowing how materials react to heat, moisture, or other substances helps ensure products are durable and safe.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship

You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree to get into this career. Useful subjects include:

  • design
  • product design
  • industrial product design
  • engineering

You could also do a course covering a particular industry, which has design options. Examples include automotive engineering and furniture design.

Getting work experience during your studies can improve your job prospects.

Your university careers service can help you to find suitable placements, internships and year in industry opportunities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

You could do an engineering product design and development degree apprenticeship.

This typically takes 60 months to complete as a mix of workplace learning and academic study at an approved university.

You might also apply to do a Model Making Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship. Training would include skills in physical and digital model making, building prototypes and creating mock-ups.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

Career tips

Entering design competitions and exhibitions can be a good way of getting yourself noticed by employers.

You'll need to show employers that you have creative skills, technical knowledge and the ability to work to a design brief. This will usually involve presenting a portfolio of your design work to them.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Chartered Society of Designers for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Further information

You can get more information on working in creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.

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