Clueless To Designer:

A Beginner’s Guide To Product Design

By Mitchelle Chibundu

1
 Dedication

Dedication
For Yomi, who helped bring this midnight idea to life.

2
 Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements
I’m grateful to God for life and good health. Thank You for
giving me the power to believe in my passion and pursue my
dreams.

This book would not have been possible without the inspiration
and support from some amazing people. For almost everyone
that has transitioned into the tech industry is someone that
gave them a chance when they were unqualified. Special
thanks to GB Agboola, for giving me the opportunity to learn
and grow at Flutterwave.

I can’t think about my journey as a designer without being

grateful for Ted, my manager, mentor and friend. Thank you for
always believing in my abilities and demanding excellence
from me.

I gratefully acknowledge the contributions of these amazing

designers - Nemi Banigo, Chinonso Raymond, Kat Holmes,
Joshua Oluwagbemiga, Elijah Kingson, Namnso Ukpanah, Dara
Oke, Great Ndidi, Jessica Gaddis, Opemipo Aikomo, Early
Attoh, Florence Dairo, Sharon Onyinye and Aderinsola
Oluwafemi. Every one of you has inspired me in a number of
ways and I am grateful that you all agreed to be a part of my

3
 Acknowledgements

story.

This year has been a roller coaster and deciding to write a

book this year has been more difficult than I imagined.

Finishing this book wouldn’t have been possible without the

love and support from my best friends - Yomi, Tolu, Douglas

and Peace. I’m eternally grateful to have you all in my corner.

Finally, my sincere gratitude goes to my family for their

continuous love and support. I’m forever grateful to them for

giving me the opportunities that have made me who I am

today. To my mum, Margaret Chibundu, your resilience and

determination has always been a big inspiration to me.

I’m blessed to call you Mum.

4
 Index

Index
Introduction 6
What is Design? 8

What are the aspects of Design? 9

What does a Product Designer do? 17

How is a UX Designer different

from a Product Designer? 19

Why is Product Design a

good career path? 21

Which skills do you need for

a job in Product Design? 24

How do you improve as a Product

Designer through others? 28

How can you launch your

Product Design career? 32

Learning Curriculum 36

Career Advice from

15 Product Designers 49

5
 Introduction

Introduction
On 18th September 2017, I left my previous life and took on a
huge challenge to try something I was clueless about. Just the
day before, I was still a fresh graduate, exploring her creative
side as a makeup artist and by Monday, I was interning as a
designer at Flutterwave.

When I started my design internship, I was as clueless as they

come. I was in a completely new industry, and on a completely
different career path. I was lucky to start my career at
Flutterwave, so I was getting real-life experiences on how
design worked. However, this was a two-sided coin because it
also required me to learn, level up, and prove myself quickly.
There was so much information on the internet but most of
them were complex and knowing where to find the right
resources to help me was not exactly an easy task.

After 2 years, when I had transitioned into a full-time product

designer role, I figured that there may be some people who are
at the place where I was in September 2017, clueless, confused,
but still, enthusiastic. So I decided to help solve that problem
with Designer Babe. On Designer Babe, I break design
fundamentals into clear and beautiful bytes of information that
everyone can learn. I teach core design topics such as typo
6
 Introduction

graphy, colours, layout grids, emotional design, and so on,

using clear and easy to understand images and
illustrations. In the 15 months of creating content for
Designer Babe, most of the questions I’ve been asked in my
DMs have been around “How can I get into product
design?” “Where do I start?” “What resources can I use?”
“How do I get a job?” and the likes of these.

Because of these recurring questions, I eventually embraced

the idea to write this book. As I started to write, I asked myself
- “Why are you writing this book and who is it for?”

This was my answer - “This book is not a product design

textbook, this book is for those who are interested in product
design but have no idea where and how to start. The goal is
for this book to give them clarity on the next steps in their
enthusiasm, and when they are done reading it, they will be
able to take at least one actionable step towards their
career.”

So if you have made it to this point of the book, YOU are

THEM, and this book is for you.

7
 What is Design?

What is Design?

Design is all about pushing the boundaries of technology and

creativity to better solve problems. Design at its core is all

about people. It is rooted in empathy for the people you are

designing for and it focuses on people’s everyday thinking,

emotions, and behaviour.

When designing for people, you need to remove your ego from

the solution and use the insights, motivations, and behaviours

of the user to arrive at the result. This means that you know

that you are an information expert and not an expert on

experiences.

This also means that you test your assumptions with an open

and teachable mind, that will enable you to learn from the

experienced expert; the user.

“When you understand the people you’re trying to reach 

— and then design from their perspective — not only will

you arrive at unexpected answers, but you’ll come up with

ideas that they’ll embrace”  -  IDEO

8
 What are the aspects of Design?

What are the aspects

of Design?
Design is more than just making things look aesthetically
pleasing, design is strategic. As the world changes and
evolves, every day, new products and services are created
that require the assistance of design.

Here I will share insight into some common aspects of design

that are focused on the following fields:

User Experience Design: User Experience (UX) Design is the

process of improving user satisfaction through usefulness,
usability, accessibility, desirability and the overall
experience.
User Interface Design: User Interface (UI) Design is the
design of visual and interactive interfaces that allows
people to navigate through or modify the content.

User Experience Research: UX Research gathers

information on user behaviour using qualitative and
quantitative data.

Interaction Design: Interaction Design is the design of the

interaction between users and products.
9
 What are the aspects of Design?

Brand Design: Brand Design is about communicating a

company’s mission, ideals, and values through their brand.
The term “brand” is evolving and it touches on all parts of a
company’s internal and external experience.
Motion Design: Motion Design is about bringing movement
to static graphic elements like images or text. The world of
motion graphics involves different aspects from animated
presentations to product demonstrations.

Graphic Design: Graphic Design is a form of communication

that leverages visual elements to convey ideas. A graphic
designer uses typography, colour, shapes, and images to
bring a concept, idea, or message to life.

Product Design: Everything that exists around us is

designed. From simple objects like cups to more complex
machines like a roller coaster to digital products like
Instagram. Everything is designed to perform in a way that
leaves you happy or satisfied. Product Design is about the
entire process of creating products and experiences, by first
defining real people’s problems and thinking about possible
solutions. It is about creating products that meet the needs
of its users through business strategy, user experience
design, user research, data analysis, and user interface
design.

In simpler terms, it’s all about creating a product that solves

a problem.

10
 What are the aspects of Design?

Great Product Design is made up of what I like to call -

The Three C’s:

Consciousness: Consciousness can be described as being

aware of our environment, body and lifestyle. It is where our

natural creativity lies and it is made up of our stored

experiences, memories, and knowledge. Our consciousness

doesn’t exist in our heads alone, it also exists in things in our

environment that inspire us. To increase your consciousness,

you have to go for things that show a high level of

creativity, so you can accumulate enough raw materials

required for the next C.

Consideration: This is a major component of what we refer

to as “good taste.” It is where our judgment lies. After

accumulating raw materials in your consciousness, your

consideration accesses them and makes judgments based

on the constraints, context, and other forces that affect the

consciousness. When you go out and take in more of the

world, your ability to discern between good and bad will

improve over time.

Craft: This is about mastering your tools. It is about using

your craft to apply your consciousness and consideration

into creating the finished product. To get better at any

craft, you need to practice and put in the required hours.

11
 What are the aspects of Design?

Design
Awareness of our
environment
Accumulation of
Our good taste.
creative raw materials Assesses creative
raw materials

Consciousness Consideration

Craft Continuous practice

increases your craft.

It’s about mastering

your tools.

“No product is an island. A product is more than the

product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences.

Think through all of the stages of a product or service,

 from initial intentions through final reflections, from the

first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them

all work together seamlessly.” - Don Norman

12
 What are the aspects of Design?

To help you better understand what great product design is, I

asked a few of my designer friends about their best-designed
products. From their responses, you’ll find the qualifiers they
used very helpful in spotting great design.

“Uber is my best designed product. It has completely

transformed how I commute in my city, Lagos. The app is
super easy to use, with an overall delightful experience.

I can see my drivers, check out their ratings, and even

have conversations with them in-app. The best designed
products usually make its users' lives stress-free. Uber ticks
all the boxes for me in terms of utility, product experience,
and great service.”

Nemi Banigo, Product Designer at Flutterwave

13
 What are the aspects of Design?

“I’m most proud of my book, Mismatch. I hope it’s value

will outlast every other product I’ve ever attempted.”

Kat Holmes, Senior VP of Design and UX at

Salesforce

“InVision Studio creates a unified experience for designers

to design, collaborate, and create rich interactions
without the hassle of jumping between tools. The in-built
timeline makes it a joy to work with as this allows me to
create my best work, every single time.”

Joshua Oluwagbemiga, Product Designer at

Invision

14
 What are the aspects of Design?

“Paystack Checkout. It provides a delightful payment

experience for thousands of people every day.”

Opemipo Aikomo, Design Director at Paystack

“If I had to pick just one I'd say Google Maps, particularly
the explore feature. It provides an interesting way to
discover new places - restaurants, shops, and so on.”

Elijah Kingson, Product Designer at Revolut

15
 What are the aspects of Design?

“The last physical product I used that I thought was well

designed was the Siri Remote. I really like how much
Apple plays with gestures and being able to successfully
perform an action using only my intuition and no guide
was quite satisfying.”

Chinonso Raymond, Product Designer at

Paystack

“Apple's Product Ecosystem. It's a beautiful, complete

system where everything syncs and makes me more
efficient.”

Early Attoh, Freelancer

16
 What does a Product Designer do?

What does a Product

Designer do?
I remember when I first told my mum that I had gotten an
internship as a product designer. She was excited for me
because every time she had asked what I was doing on my
laptop in the initial months, I’d say “Mum, I’m learning
something new.”
Over a year later, I went to visit her and while we were
chatting, she paused, looked me straight in my eyes, and said.
“What exactly do you do? I don’t fully understand it and I
never know what to tell your aunties when they ask me.” At
that moment I was faced with two questions,

1. What exactly do I do?

2. How do I explain it to my 62-year-old non-tech-savvy

mother?

I gave the questions a bit of thought and then, I asked her to

open WhatsApp on her phone. I said to her, “You see
Whatsapp, there are people who work there that created this
product. But they didn’t stop after creating it. Their job every
day is to think about you, and do everything to ensure that
17
 What does a Product Designer do?

you are happy and satisfied when you send your broadcast
messages, videos, and share your WhatsApp stories. At
Flutterwave, we have products like this for payment and
finances. I’m one of the people ensuring that people like you
are satisfied when they use our products.”

That wasn’t exactly the textbook definition of my job but it

helped me explain effectively what my job entails.

A Product Designer advocates for the users and also has a

clear understanding of the business values.

18
 How is a UX Designer different from a Product Designer

How is a UX Designer
different from a
Product Designer?
A great differentiator between a UX Designer job and a
Product Designer job is where the designer’s job begins or
ends. Both of them fundamentally entails the same processes
- product research, user analysis, ideation, design, testing, and
validation. However, as a product designer, I am more in tune
with what is going on with the business. I know that my design
decisions will affect the business of the product as much as it
affects the users. I not only deliver on the project briefs shared
with me but I also constantly iterate and improve on the
product.

Another differentiator is in the questions that the designers

ask. A UX Designer is more likely to ask questions around — “Is
the product usable?” “Is this product functional?” whereas, a
Product Designer will go a little further to ask — “How will this
feature affect the business?” “Is this product cost-effective?”.
As a Product Designer, your work on the product never stops.
You should care about the product even after its launch and
19
 How is a UX Designer different from a Product Designer

continue to do research and study the users’ behaviours.

UX
Product

Designer Designer

Product research

Usability Business
User analysis

Cost
Human-centered

Product
Ideation
evolution

User testing

Validation

20
 Why is Product Design a good career path?

Why is Product Design

a good career path?
Growth: Before Flutterwave, I had no idea what user
experience or interface design was. The only design
knowledge I had was from logo creation and designing
church event fliers. Then I joined Flutterwave and was
welcomed into a different dimension of design.
Product Design is a multifaceted role, it gives room for
growth in different areas. You can develop your skills and
work up the ladder to anywhere it takes you, or you
specialize in many different aspects like strategy, planning,
product growth etc.

Market Demand: There is an ever-growing market and

need for products and services and this is increasing the
demand for more experienced product designers. There
are a lot of opportunities knocking on the door. Brands
understand now more than ever how the success of their
business is strongly affected by the quality of their
product’s design.

In 2019, LinkedIn named product design as one of the most

promising jobs in the United States.

21
 Why is Product Design a good career path?

My first designs at Flutterwave in 2017

22
 Why is Product Design a good career path?

Job Satisfaction: Working as a product designer allows you

to help people with their problems in real-time. When you

see how seemingly little design decisions you make can

completely change an experience for someone and make

their lives easier, it gives a deep feeling of satisfaction.

Competitive Salary: If none of the reasons mentioned

above has been able to convince you on why you should

consider a career in Product Design, then maybe this one

will. There is an increasing demand for design as many

organizations now understand the need for properly

designed products. Because design has become more

notable, there is a rise in demand for well-skilled designers.

This automatically makes it a competitive field, for the

designers and the organizations looking to hire the best.

23
 Which skills do you need for a job in Product Design?

Which skills do you

need for a job in

Product Design?

In this chapter, I’ll share with you fourteen skills that I believe

you need for product design.

Problem-solving: When I started learning design, my

manager advised me to practice problem-solving with my

environment. I practised with everyday things, how things

worked around me. I took notes of things that I thought

worked well enough and the things that didn’t work so well

and came up with ideas on how to make them better. This

did not only improve my problem-solving skill, it also greatly

improved my taste for good design.

Empathy: Empathy is our ability to see the world through

other people's eyes, to see what they see, feel what they

feel, and experience things the way they do. Empathy is

important for designers because it allows you to truly

understand the needs and emotions of the people you are

designing for.

24
 Which skills do you need for a job in Product Design?

Curiosity: Asking the right questions will make you a better

designer and will help you lead a proper business
conversation. Before starting your projects, ask useful
questions that will give you a better understanding of the
problem that you are trying to solve. Curiosity killed the cat,
you are a person, not a cat.
Communication: Having good communication skills shows
that we have a level of confidence in our ability to
understand and articulate a considered design approach
without reservation. To be able to explain your work clearly
and convincingly, it is very important to communicate your
ideas and thought process behind your work, whether it’s to
your team, the organization or your users.

Storytelling: Storytelling is a fundamental human experience

that brings people together with emotional connections.
When you’re able to tell a good story, you can capture
people’s attention, and hopefully, make them think
differently about an issue.

“Stories are the way we understand and make sense of the

world we find ourselves in.” - Clare Patey, Director of the
Empathy Museum.

25
 Which skills do you need for a job in Product Design?

Copywriting: Writing is a form of communication, and I

believe it’s an essential skill for designers. I have seen how a
combination of simple copies can bring more clarity and
improve the experience of a product. You may be lucky
enough to start your career in a big organization that has a
skilled copywriter or you may start off writing your copies for
your designs. Either way, practice your copywriting.

Understanding context: Because design is about people,

understanding them and their context is very essential.
Always design by considering the larger context of the
problem and the people.

UX Design: UX Design is design centred around the users.

Learning to understand how people think, the processes
and methods of creating satisfactory experiences is an
important part of becoming a product designer.

Wireframing: This is a design process that is used to show

the content, functionality, user needs and journey on a
page. Learning how to wireframe will help you show your
team and stakeholders how the elements of the product will
interact with each other.

Prototyping: When you add little interactions to your

wireframe, it allows your product to get tested early on in
the process. The earlier you gather feedback, the easier it is
to implement.

U and nteraction Design: Before jumping into product

I I

design you need to understand the basic principles an d

26
 Which skills do you need for a job in Product Design?

skills of visual design. Having a good understanding of

designing buttons, typography, colour, shadows, grids etc is
essential to becoming a good product designer.
Usability testing: This is the process of observing and
studying your potential or current users as they interact with
your product. It gives you upfront insight on the users’
expectations, behaviours and needs.
Business knowledge: Product Designers need to also
understand why projects were started in the first place. They
also need to know the business problem that is being
solved for, how it affects the overall goal of the product and
how the company measures the success.

Documentation: Documents are the concrete forms of

ideas that were previously abstract. When you document
your ideas, thought process and iterations, your ideas
become more tangible. When you leave documents that
support your designs, it gives room for backtracking and
allows new designers working on the product to have a full
scope of the decisions that were previously made.
Learning a new skill and improving yourself can be
overwhelming. As you are working on your skills, remember
that mastering a skill is a journey and not all journeys are short.
So be patient, learn the fundamentals and put in the work
required to build a solid foundation for your budding career.

27
 How do you improve as a Product Designer through others?

How do you improve

as a Product Designer
through others?
Accountability Partners: An accountability partner is
someone who helps another person keep to a commitment.
Having someone to keep you accountable to your goals is
important. Your partner doesn’t have to be famous or an
industry favourite. Your partner just has to be equally
committed to helping you succeed.
It is preferable if they have a different personality from yours,
that way it’s easier for them to see things from a different
perspective from yours. This is extremely helpful, especially
when you feel locked up in that idea box and you have no
concrete clue on how to move on from there to achieving
your goal. This person will help you see things differently,
from their vantage point.
At the end of the day, we are much more likely to take
action if someone is taking note and tracking our goals with
us, and also coaching and cheering us on along the way.
28
 How do you improve as a Product Designer through others?

Community: I define a community as a group of people

connected by one or more similar interests. As humans,
communities play a vital role in different areas of our lives.
We have communities in our family units, schools, churches,
gyms, and even on our favourite influencer’s Instagram
page. Being a part of a community allows us to connect
with different people on common ground.
For designers, being a part of a design community can help
you develop and hone your skills. It is also a good way to
develop your brand as a designer.
When you are part of a community, you have access to
information like job opportunities quickly. You can also find
two or more people with similar interests and you can work
on exciting projects that can be a part of your portfolios.

Mentorship: Mentorship is a relationship where a more

experienced and knowledgeable person guides you
through your life, career or business growth. Mentorship is
important because of the skills, knowledge and experiences
you can learn from your mentors. It’s also important
because it provides personal support that aids your growth
in your career and beyond.

Mentorship is often thought of as a one-way street, but it

should be a relationship where both the mentor and mentee
can learn from each other.

29
 How do you improve as a Product Designer through others?

How do you find a mentor that is good for you?

There is no universal approach to finding a mentor in the

design industry, however, having an open mind opens you to
more opportunities.

Start by carefully figuring out what exactly you want your

mentor to be like. Think carefully about how you think they can
help you and what exactly you want to get out of the
relationship. You should also consider their life experiences
alongside their work and career history. Having a mentor that
you connect with their story can foster the relationship and
give opportunities to share relatable experiences.

When you’ve figured out the image of your potential mentor,

you want to start seeking people that fit into your criteria and
reach out to them. You can directly ask someone to mentor
you, and the worst they’ll say is No, isn’t it? However, directly
asking someone to be your mentor may not always be the
best approach to finding a mentor. In my experience, when
people ask me directly to mentor them, it seems like a lot more
work and commitment.

Another challenge I face when people reach out to me is that

from their message, it looks like I will be the person eventually
more committed to their growth than them. I spot this usually
when people reach out to me without any idea of how they
think I can play a role in their journey. The messages are
usually vague and seem like it had been sent as a broadcast
to several people. I’ve realized that I’m more open to
engaging when someone reaches out to me telling me about
30
 How do you improve as a Product Designer through others?

some steps they have taken and how they think my experience

and skills can be of help to them.

Additionally, remember that mentorships should benefit both

parties. When reaching out to a potential mentor, ensure to

share the strong qualities that you’ll bring into the relationship.

Allow these qualities to shine through your message, so the

person can have an idea of how their relationship with you

may equally benefit them.

Tips for a successful mentorship.

Keep your approach casual.

Have clear goals with milestones.

Set the right expectations.

Be teachable and proactive.

Ask specific questions.

Respect your mentor’s time.

Keep learning and sharpening your skills.

31
 How can you launch your Product Design career?

How can you launch

your Product Design
career?
Congratulations! You’ve made it this far. You now have a
better understanding of what product design is, why it is a
good career path, and now you are ready to get right into it.
Below I’ll share with you four key steps to launching your
product design career.

Step 1: Get Educated

One recurring question that comes up in conversations with
people trying to transition into product design is if one needs a
formal university degree to become a product designer. While I
don’t have any reservations about studying design at the
university, I’d like to add that it is not the only way to get
started in this career path.

Using myself as an example, I studied Marine Biology in the

university and I have transitioned into a product design career.
Your career may not depend solely on getting a university
degree in design, however, you need to study and learn about
design to become a product designer.
32
 How can you launch your Product Design career?

The good thing about the current times we are in is that there
is a lot of information and resources on the internet to get you
up to speed. In the next chapter, you will find a 3-month
learning curriculum that I specially curated to help you get
educated on product design.

Step 2: Learn some tools

The first thing you need to know about design tools is that
every designer is different, and so design tools are not
one-size-fits-all. When starting, there are different factors to
consider when picking a tool but my go-to suggestion is to
start with what is most accessible to you and what you are
comfortable with. Try not to overwhelm yourself by learning to
use all at the same time, learn one or two, depending on what
you want to achieve. You can always learn to use more tools
as you make progress.

Quick story: I started designing using sketch, for my

personal work and also at my day job. However, at the
time, we were just a team of two - my manager and me.
We grew into a team of five and of course, the dynamics
of collaboration between two people and five people are
not the same. So we needed a cost-effective tool that
would work well for designing, collaboration, and
handoffs between design and engineering. We went with
Figma and we still use it to date. We are 10 people on the
team now btw.

33
 How can you launch your Product Design career?

If you're just starting out with design and you find all the
tools overwhelming, here’s my advice to you: do your
experiments, take notes of what you like about the tools
you tried out, be clear on the goals you want to achieve,
and narrow your options down to the tools that can help
you achieve those goals.

Step 3: Get experience

The next step in your career launch process is to get
experience. Getting an internship with a designer you admire
or with a company may be a great way to gain experience
but it’s not the only way. The good thing about experiences is
that it can be gained even without having a “real job”. Other
ways with which you can gain design experience are:
Volunteering: Being a beginner at anything can be very
frustrating, mostly because you are trying to figure out a lot
of things at the same time. You also probably have only
your family and a few friends that know that you are
transitioning into a design career. Don’t see these friends
and family members as just that, they are people who
probably have businesses or know people that have
businesses. Present yourself to them as a designer and
volunteer to help them design a website or product for their
business. Non-profit organizations also have a ton of
materials they need to be designed. You can research on
their needs, and find a project you can volunteer to work on
that’ll help hone your skills.

34
 How can you launch your Product Design career?

Fellowships: Fellowships are short-term, competitive

programs that provide entry into your first job or career
change. They give you an opportunity to combine
curriculum-based learning, experience, and mentorship
support to apply all you’ve learned to change your career.
Fellowships are a great way to make a positive difference
through your creative work.

Other ways to gain experience is by finding a seemingly

small problem in your everyday life and working on it with a
group of friends.

Step 4: Find a job

I understand that saying “find a job” doesn’t communicate
how challenging it may be, considering that you are just
starting and it looks like there are not a lot of opportunities for
your skill level. However, let’s look at it like this, if you’ve studied
for three months, practised, worked on exciting projects with
your friends or volunteered to build products for businesses in
your community. You are no longer at the same place you were
before you started all of these, so whether you see it or not,
you would have made progress and you would have
something to offer. So don’t self-reject, believe in yourself,
apply to jobs and tell as many people in your network that you
are open to product design roles. While you’re at this, don’t
stop learning and levelling up because you always have to be
prepared when the opportunity comes.

35
 Learning Curriculum

Learning Curriculum

When I started writing this book, I had just written a few pages

before I started to get confused and overwhelmed. This was

because immediately I got the idea to write this book, I didn’t

take time to flesh out my vision and goals for the book.

Following my suggestion in the previous paragraph, making

progress with my writing became easier. Having a vision

helped me spend less time on unnecessary things because

whenever I got stuck in a creative rabbit hole, I went back to

my vision board to see if my blocker was part of the vision.

Having my vision broken down into short actionable goals

made it easier for me to track my progress.

The goal-setting method is one that I have used in different

aspects of my life, including levelling up as a Product Designer,

and I also curated this learning curriculum using it. If you follow

this diligently, at the end of the three months you will surely be

at a different place from when you started.

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 Learning Curriculum

Week 1: Introduction to Design

Goals
I understand the concept of design.

I know the history of design.

I understand what design thinking is.

I can explain design thinking to an 11-year- old.

Resources
Introduction to Graphic Design
Why is Design Thinking popular?
What is Design Thinking?
A brief history of Graphic Design
The first secret of great design

Further reading
The Design of Everyday Things By Don Norman

Week 2: Fundamentals of UX Design

Goals
I understand the principles of UX Design.

I know how to apply the laws of UX.

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 Learning Curriculum

Resources
5 Principles of UX Design
Design Pricniples
5 Key principles for UX Designers
Learn UX Fundamentals
The term "UX"
19 Psycological design principles
UX Crash course
Elements of UX Design
20 Laws of UX

Further reading
Laws of UX: Using Psychology to Design Better
Products & Services by Jon Yablonski

Week 3: Fundamentals of UI Design

Goals
I understand the principles of UI Design.
I understand the best practices for designing
an interface.

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 Learning Curriculum

I can use UI cards effectively.

I can design a Call To Action button
that converts users.
I can apply shadows to elements.

Resources
Principles of UI Design
Core principles of UI Design
Call To Action Button best practices
Solid tips on CTA design
Crafting better cards
Designing UI shadows
Design better UI cards
UI Design crash course
10 rules of good UI Design
UI Design for mobile apps

Further reading
Designing Interfaces by Jenifer Tidwel

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 Learning Curriculum

Week 4: The Psychology of Colours

and Thinking with Type

Goals
I understand how colours affect people.
I know how to use colour gradients.
I understand the basic principles of colour
application in design.

I know what colours to use in specific niches.

I can strategically use colour and texture.
I understand the art of Typography.
I understand how to use different types of
Typefaces.
Resources
UI Gradients
Colour Psychology
Colours for niches
Why colours matter
Properties of colour
Master the art of Typography
Typography elements
Principles of effective typography

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 Learning Curriculum

Typography rules

Further reading

Interaction of Color by Josef Albers

Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

Week 5: Google Material Design / Human Interface

Guidelines

Goals

I understand the difference between designing

for Android and iOS systems.

Resources

Responsive layout grid

UI Design do’s and dont’s

Material Design

Human Interface Guidelines

Basics of UI Design

Further reading

Android User Interface Design by Ian G. Clifton

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 Learning Curriculum

Week 6: Layout Grids, Hierarchy & Spacing

Goals
I understand what grids are.
I understand the importance of proper spacing
in my designs.
I understand the effective use of hierarchy
in design.

Resources
Mobile UI Layout
Fundamental guide to mobile usability
Guide to mobile app design
How to use space in UI Design
The power of empty space
The 8pt consistent grid
Effective UI content organization
Visual Hierarchy
Fundamentals of Hierarchy
Building solid grids
Building better UI grids

Further reading
White Space by Ilsa J. Bick

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 Learning Curriculum

Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef

Müller-Brockmann

Layout Essentials: 100 Design Principles

for Using Grids by Beth Tondreau

Week 7: Wireframing & Prototyping

Goals
I know what wireframes are.
I know how to prototype my designs.
I know the difference between the types
of wireframes.
I can create wireframes.
I can prototype my wireframes.

Resources
Flow Design processes
Shorthand for designing user flows
Wireflows
How to wireframe
Low fidelity vs high fidelity

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 Learning Curriculum

Affinity diagramming
Beginner’s guide to wireframes
How to create your first wireframe
Learn UX Fundamentals
The term "UX"
19 Psycological design principles

Further reading
Prototyping for Designers: Developing the Best
Digital and Physical Products by Kathryn McElroy

Week 8: Usability Testing

Goals
I know how to conduct a usability test.
I understand the benefits of usability tests.
I can differentiate between preference
tests and A/B tests.
I can write a usability test script.
I know how to conduct user interviews.

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 Learning Curriculum

Resources
Conducting user interview
Usability testing with 5 users
Conduct a usability test in 6 steps
Usability testing
Pros and Cons of user interviews
How to conduct user interviews
Usability evaluation
What is usability testing
Usability testing 2
A guide to recruiting participants
Preference testing
Guide to usability testing
What is Usability testing?

Further reading
Usability Testing Essentials: Ready, Set...Test! by
Carol Barnum

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 Learning Curriculum

Week 9: Developing your soft skills - Storytelling,

Copywriting & Effective Communication

Goals
I understand the importance of storytelling.

I understand the importance of using

communicative copywriting in my designs.

I understand why effective communication

can make me stand out.
I can combine copywriting and design
for effective results.
I can design a landing page with copies
that communicate the design.
Resources
Storytelling for Designers & Business owners
Why should designers care about storytelling?
Storytelling for Designers
Effective communication for Designers
Storytelling for Designers 2
Copywriting is Interface Design
Storytelling
How to combine copies and design
The Importance of soft skills

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 Learning Curriculum

Further reading
Storytelling in Design: Defining, Designing, and
Selling Multidevice Products by Anna Dahlström

Week 10: Introduction to Interaction design

Goals
I understand what Interaction Design is.
I know how it differs from UX design.
I can design screens with micro-interactions.

Resources
What is Interaction Design?
How does Interaction Design compare to UX?
Beginner’s guide to Interaction Design
Introduction to Interaction Design
Microinteractions

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 Learning Curriculum

Week 11: Building your portfolio

Make awesome portfolios
Your design protfolio
10 tips for your product design portfolio
6 tips for building a killer portfolio
How to create a product design portfolio

Week 12: Launching your product design career

Product Design - How to get started
How to be a freelance designer
How to become a designer with no experience
Product Design career path

Inspiration
Daily UI
Collect UI
Dribbble
Behance
Invision

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

Career Advice from

15 Product Designers

I reached out to 15 designers who have inspired me in different

ways, so their words can inspire you too. Here’s what they said:

“Practice, practice, practice! Like everything else, the only

way to get better at something is by being consistent. Take

out some time each day to practice design. Explore as

much as you can. Don't worry too much about the more

complex aspects of design at this point, you'll eventually

get there. Also, share your work. No matter how "bad"

you think it is, share it! It's an avenue to get meaningful

feedback, as well as design career opportunities.”

Nemi Banigo, Product Designer at Flutterwave

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Question everything. Study history. Be a rising leader

and your boldness will bring hope where it’s most
needed.”

Kat Holmes, Senior VP of Design and UX at

Salesforce

“Your ability to be strategic and product minded will set

you apart. Design isn’t just about the deliverables, it’s
your ability to identify a problem, name it, scope it, break
it down and then develop a strategy to solve it.”

Jessica Gaddis, Product Designer at Twitter

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Don't get sucked into trying to learn so much that you

don't practice enough.”

Ted Oladele, Head of Design at Flutterwave

“A few things I wish I paid more attention to when

starting-

- Embrace growth. There’s no pressure for you to know

everything all at once so please be easy on yourself and
give yourself room to grow.

- Acknowledge the goals you achieve, no matter how

inconsequential you think they are.

- Document your processes and focus on your strengths.”

Chinonso Raymond, Product Designer at

Paystack

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Become an observer. Observe the world around you,

behaviors, objects, systems, and the way you interact with
everyday things. Understand what makes things usable,
functional, and the kinds of things that bring someone
delight. There's much to learn from the physical, even
when designing digital products.”

Dara Oke, Lead Product Designer at Netflix

“Iteration is the secret sauce of design. Always be willing

to start afresh when you have new information.”

Opemipo Aikomo, Design Director at Paystack

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Mock projects are a great way to develop your skills.

Make it a habit to practice everyday or at least as often as
you can.”

Elijah Kingson, Product Designer at Revolut

“Take your time learning the fundamentals and explore

the broad scope of design. Beginners often want to learn
the bare basics and jump into building products and their
knowledge is often limited to what they've learned at a
foundational level. When you take your time learning the
fundamentals and taking them one level at a time, you
build this solid foundation for yourself to grow to become
an amazing designer.”

Joshua Oluwagbemiga, Product Designer at

Invision

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“In the beginning, it's important to focus on mastery

instead of originality. You will surely find your footing
and your unique style as you grow, so you should be more
focused on learning how things are done, even if that
means you have to copy or just spend time practising.”

Great Ndidi, Design Lead at Yellow Card

“Keep an open mind (eyes and ears ) - Be open to

projects that challenge you even if you've never worked
within that industry or on that type of design before.
Challenge yourself, it’s okay to fail and pick yourself up
again.”

Florence Dairo, Product Designer at Toptal

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Try not to skip out on the basics of whatever design path

you are starting in because every complex part of it will be
made up of tiny basic concepts.”

Namnso Ukpanah, Lead Product Designer

at Flutterwave

“Don’t be afraid to suggest things or question things just

because you’re just starting out. If your idea isn’t “good”
at least you’ll learn something once someone corrects you.

As long as you’re respectful and open to learning, keep

asking and keep bringing new ideas.”

Sharon Onyinye, Product Designer

at HelloFresh

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

“Hone your skill set. Work hard on your craft every day
and in time you will find a style that you are comfortable
with and, most importantly, enjoy doing.”

Early Attoh, Freelancer

“Don't give up. I know it’s easier said than done.

Sometimes, it gets discouraging and you struggle with
imposter syndrome. You compare yourself to others and
get disappointed because you’re not learning and growing
as fast as you think you should be. Don't be too hard on
yourself. You may not be where you want to be but you're
on your way there. You've got this.”

Aderinsola Oluwafemi, Product Designer

at Eden Life

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 Career Advice from 15 Product Designers

I’m super excited that you’ve gotten this far and I’m super
proud of you. I poured out my heart and soul into this, so I’m
certain that you have gotten value. The most important thing
to do for yourself now is to apply all you’ve learnt because
knowledge isn’t power, it’s the application of knowledge that is
power. Read this book as many times as you want to, because
as many times as you do so, you’ll get more understanding of
the words in it. I believe so much in you and I know you have
the ability and power to create the life of your dreams. If I can
do it, so can you.

If you’re up for it, tweet about the book using the hashtag
#cluelesstodesigner, you can share your favourite parts or
quotes from it too. You can also email me at
[email protected] to share your experience reading
the book. I wish you all the very best in your budding career.
- DB

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 About the Author

Mitchelle is a Product Designer,

traveller and artist. She enjoys
solving challenging problems
and building products that
people love. She currently
works as the product design
lead for mobile products at
Flutterwave.

As a result of her passion for

teaching and giving back to her community, she created

Designer Babe, where she breaks design fundamentals into
clear and beautiful bytes of info that everyone can learn.

She sees herself as ever-evolving and transforming like a

butterfly, so she’s always open to learning new things. She
recently started learning Fluid painting and learning this has
opened up another creative part of her mind that she
completely loves.

Outside of her design life, she enjoys painting, taking pictures,

reading articles online, binge-watching shows on Netflix or
Youtube and filling her shopping carts with fancy items on
Amazon.

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