UX Design and Product Design are two separate and distinct disciplines in product design. Although both involve the same end goal- creating enjoyable user experiences- they use different strategies to achieve that goal. The differences between UX and product design can be broken down into two categories: Research & Planning, and Design & Development.
Research & Planning:
The first stage of product design involves research and planning. This is where UX designers collect data about a user’s needs, wants, habits, and preferences.
They analyze this data to create user personas that help inform the design strategy. Product designers also consider user feedback during this stage but take into account other factors such as market trends, competition, cost constraints, etc. to develop a product roadmap.
Design & Development:
The second stage of product design is the actual design and development process. Here, UX designers focus on creating an intuitive interface that guides the user through their desired task or journey.
They use wireframes, prototypes, usability testing, etc., to ensure that their designs are effective and efficient for their users. On the other hand, product designers focus on developing an aesthetically pleasing interface for a product’s overall look-and-feel.
Conclusion:
To sum it up, UX Design and Product Design are two distinct disciplines in product design with different strategies for achieving the same end goal of creating enjoyable user experiences. While UX Design focuses more on research & planning as well as designing an intuitive interface; Product Design focuses more on aesthetics as well as market trends & competition.