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My First Real Taste of the Product Design Process

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When I first heard the term “Product Design Process,” I imagined some neat, linear path you follow to design an aesthetically pleasing app on Figma but now I understand that it’s a lot more. The process is more like Lagos traffic, messy and full of unexpected turns. It is not linear, can even be chaotic sometimes, but I have realized that the chaos has a method. 

So, let me walk you through what the product design process really looks like, especially from the eyes of a wide-eyed intern. 

1. Understanding the Problem

Understanding, the first aspect of the product design process

Before I touch Figma, I’ve learned to ask a lot of questions. Because if you don’t understand the why, you’ll end up designing screens that look great but solve nothing. And trust me, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions. A simple ‘please, what are we designing’ could save you a lot of time and headaches.

Ask questions about the problem you are trying to solve and then find answers to these questions. This way, you are sure you are actually solving a problem that needs to be fixed, not just designing based on vibes.

ALSO READ; [GUEST POST] A Week in the Life of a Product Design Intern

For example, you were asked to “ improve users’ onboarding flow.” Ask;

  • Why are users dropping off?
  • Where do they get stuck?
  • What does success look like?

This part is all about research and clarity. It often involves:

  • Talking to users
  • Studying user behaviour via analytics
  • Reviewing business goals

2. User Research

Always remember that you are not the user. I used to think I could guess what users wanted. Big mistake. Even bigger when the actual users are a very different demographic from you. Try to understand the user. Research your users’ behavioural patterns, culture, the product they enjoy using, and even their computer literacy. Research is the deep-dive stage. Think user interviews, competitor analysis, surveys, and some good old social media sleuthing. This stage taught me that empathy is everything. If you don’t listen to your users, you will most likely design a product they won’t use.

3. Ideation

My favourite part… brainstorming solutions. At this point, no idea is wrong, and that’s the beauty of it. When I just started my internship, I used to be scared to share ideas. But, I quickly learned that even “dumb” ideas can spark something valuable. I sketch (on paper or Whimsical), consider different layouts with my supervisor, imagine features, and finally narrow down what actually makes sense to design.

4. Wireframing (Where You Resist the Urge to Add Colour)

Designing low-fidelity screens used to be tough for me. I’m a visual person, so I always want to jump into high-fidelity screens. But wireframes force you to think function over form. A book I read (Refactoring UI by Adam Wathan and Steve Schoger) says, “hold the colour, by designing in greyscale, you’re forced to use spacing, contrast and size to do all the heavy lifting” therefore, colours just act as a support.

I learned to:

  • Focus on content hierarchy
  • Test multiple layouts quickly

5. High-Fidelity Design and Prototype

Finally, let’s make it pretty! Here, I apply the design system (to make designing easier, make your design system ahead if none was provided), make buttons feel clickable, add icons, colours, and spacing. And seeing your idea go from a sketch to a clickable prototype? Absolute serotonin boost.

But, I also learned it’s not just about beauty. Accessibility, consistency, and usability matter. Every colour, icon, and line spacing needs to be intentional.

6. Testing

My First Real Taste of the Product Design Process during testing

Usability testing is humbling. You watch users struggle with things you thought were obvious. But, testing taught me to always test with real users (even one is better than none), observe users when they interact with your design. Don’t explain; user feedback should always override your feelings.

 7. Iteration 

After testing, I go back to revise. Maybe the font was too small. Maybe the CTA needs a better colour. This step often loops multiple times.

Finally, we handed off designs to the devs. But guess what? Even that’s a process. You need:

  • Well-labelled Figma files
  • Prototypes or screen flows
  • Notes explaining interactions

The product design process is more than just a checklist of steps; it’s a mindset. It’s about empathy, creativity, and a dash of chaos. I’m learning to trust the process, embrace feedback (even when it stings), and enjoy the tiny wins. If you read this far, you should join Tech Community for more educational content like this.

Next week, I might talk about impostor syndrome and how I’ve considered googling “How to quit tech and raise chickens.” But for now, I’m staying curious, caffeinated, and determined.

Stay tuned. 

Azeezah Adetunji
Azeezah Adetunji

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