To influence the product, you need to understand how business works. This helps you form hypotheses, prioritize tasks, and speak the same language as product managers and executives.
Learn about:
— Product analytics and unit economics
— Setting and measuring goals: OKR, KPI, SWOT
— Frameworks like JTBD & AARRR
— Project management approaches: Agile & Scrum
📊 Data Skills
Being able to read and interpret data helps you make informed decisions, validate hypotheses, and show how design impacts measurable metrics.
Focus on:
— Understanding key metrics: Conversion, CTR, session depth, etc.
— Analyzing usability tests
— Using analytics tools: Google Analytics, PageSpeed, Tilda Statistics
💻 Programming Fundamentals
Knowing the basics of development helps you assess feasibility, design with constraints in mind, and collaborate more effectively with developers.
The higher your role, the more important communication, facilitation, and leadership become. A designer who can lead projects, negotiate, and persuade is truly invaluable.
Build skills in:
— Presenting and defending design decisions
— Public speaking
— Facilitating team workshops
— Mentoring and coaching
🔗 Cross-Functional Collaboration
Strong designers know how to work with marketers, product managers, developers, etc. It's about aligning perspectives, finding common ground, and influencing product development.
Build skills in:
— Empathy for the roles & goals of other teams
— "Translating" design language into business, tech & marketing terms