Helpful Resources for Product Designers
Whether you're just beginning or looking to advance your career, having access to the right resources for product designers can make a significant difference in your growth and success. From online product design courses to the latest product design tools, and from insightful product design books to data estimates of product designer salaries, there’s a wealth of useful career-enhancing assets out there you could use.
Find latest remote product design jobs
This article provides a curated list of essential resources to help individuals interested in the field of product design.
Product Design Career Overview
Product design is a multidisciplinary field that combines user experience, interface design, visual aesthetics, problem-solving, and more to create functional and engaging products, as well as improve existing ones. Product designers work closely with other teams to ensure the product aligns with business goals and technical feasibility.
The product design industry in Africa is experiencing growth, particularly within the tech and fashion sectors. Driven by a rising number of startups and the digitization of industries, there's a growing demand for skilled product designers who can create intuitive and user-friendly digital experiences. This growth is also fuelled by a desire to build solutions that are both relevant to local contexts and scalable globally.
Product Design Courses and Certifications
To have a successful career in product design, it’s essential to pursue structured learning opportunities—whether through formal university programs or online certifications. A solid educational foundation improves your knowledge and skills, making you more competitive and employable while also enhancing your earning potential.
Formal University Courses and Certifications
Formal university programs are some of the most essential and sought-after resources for product designers. They offer access to expert teachers, structured learning, and valuable peer networks. These programs are especially helpful for students who want a comprehensive and academically rigorous background in the field. Examples include:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Product Design
- Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Product Design
- Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Product Design Engineering
- Bachelor of Design (BDes) in Industrial Design
- BSc in Product Design and Innovation
- Master of Arts (MA) in Product Design
- Master of Science (MSc) in Product Design
- Master of Design (MDes) in Industrial/Product Design
- MSc/MA in Design Innovation
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Product Design
- PhD in Industrial Design
- PhD in Design Innovation
- PhD in Engineering Design
Note that apart from universities, product design programs are also available in other tertiary institutions such as polytechnics and advanced colleges.
Online Product Design Courses and Certifications
For beginners, professionals, or career changers who need flexibility, online product design courses, such as those listed below, offer a fast path to essential knowledge and skills.
- Product Design – Udacity
- Product Design Program – CareerFoundry
- Google UX Design Certificate – Coursera
- Interaction Design Specialization – Coursera/University of California, San Diego
- UX Academy – DesignLab
- UX & Web Design Master Course: Strategy, Design, Development – Udemy
- UX Foundations: Interaction Design – LinkedIn Learning
Product Design Software and Tools
Mastering the right product design tools is essential for efficiency and collaboration. Here are some of the top platforms used in the industry:
- Sketch: A macOS-only vector-based UI/UX design tool used to create wireframes and prototypes, favored for its speed, simplicity, and plugin support.
- Adobe XD: A cross-platform design and prototyping tool that integrates well with Adobe Creative Cloud, enabling UI/UX designers to create interactive, shareable prototypes.
- Miro: An online collaborative whiteboard used in product design for brainstorming, mapping user journeys, and facilitating remote team workshops.
- InVision: A prototyping and collaboration platform that turns static designs into clickable mockups and supports team feedback and design transfer.
- Figma: A primarily browser-based, real-time collaborative design and prototyping tool widely used for UI/UX work due to its accessibility and strong teamwork features. Desktop apps are also available for added flexibility.
- Zeplin: A design-to-development collaboration tool that translates design files into clear specs and assets, helping developers implement UI accurately and efficiently.
Product Design Books
Books are an effective way of gaining new insights and broadening knowledge on any subject matter. Here are some product design books to learn from:
- About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design by Alan Cooper: A foundational text covering interaction design principles that help create efficient and enjoyable digital products.
- The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman: A classic that explains how design serves as the communication between object and user, emphasizing usability and user-centered design.
- Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal: Explores the psychology behind why users return to certain products, teaching designers how to create engaging, habit-forming experiences.
- Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug: A practical guide to intuitive web and app design that prioritizes simplicity and user-friendly navigation.
- Lean UX by Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden: Focuses on integrating user experience design with agile product development for faster, collaborative iterations.
- Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp: Outlines a five-day process for solving tough design problems and testing ideas quickly.
- Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design by Jenifer Tidwell: Provides comprehensive patterns and best practices for creating effective user interfaces across platforms.
Remote Product Design Jobs
The shift to digital workspaces has increased opportunities for remote product design jobs. Designers now contribute to global teams from anywhere in the world under a variety of job titles. You can find remote product design jobs
When applying for remote product design jobs, a strong portfolio (if available) and familiarity with collaborative product design tools are essential. Remote work also demands excellent communication and time management, and other skills, as well as a professionally written CV to boost your chances.
Product Designer Salaries
Understanding product designer salaries helps you negotiate better and make informed career decisions. Salaries may vary according to location, experience, educational qualifications, skills, and company size. Payscale, Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, and LinkedIn Salary Insights are great resources for product designers who want to benchmark pay across roles and regions.
Here's an overview of the total pay range for product designers (for all years of experience and all industries) in Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya, based on the most recent data from Glassdoor.
Nigeria: In Lagos, the total estimated monthly pay range for a product designer as of June 10, 2025, is between NGN156,000 and NGN435,000 per month.
Egypt: As of June 6, 2025, the total monthly pay range estimate for a product designer in Cairo is from EGP10,000 to EGP23,000.
South Africa: The total monthly pay range for a product designer in Cape Town as of May 10, 2025, is projected to be in the region of ZAR32,000 and ZAR59,000.
Kenya: Product designers in Nairobi as of November 30, 2024, will likely have between KES74,000 to KES338,000 as their total pay range per month.
Note: “All years of experience” means that the platform is aggregating salary data from employees with varying levels of experience—from entry-level to senior professionals—for that particular role or job title.
“All industries” means that it is aggregating salary data from a variety of sectors or industries where that job title exists. For example, a product designer might work in tech, finance, healthcare, or retail, and "all industries" combines data from all of them.
Conclusion
Succeeding in the field of product design requires access to the right resources to help you grow. Start building your resource kit today to enhance your chances of landing rewarding remote product design jobs or taking your product design career to the next level.