Yooch Wan | Product Designer | Personal | Writings

UX Design / Product Design

What's the Difference?

While often used interchangeably, in my view, Product Design and UX Design serve different yet deeply interconnected roles within the creation of digital products.

Similarities

Both roles aim to create meaningful, user-centred experiences. They share key responsibilities, such as:

User research and testing
Wireframing and prototyping
Designing intuitive, accessible interfaces
Collaboration with cross-functional teams (engineering, product, business)

In short, both care deeply about the user — but they approach that mission with slightly different scopes and mindsets.

UX Design

Focused on the Experience

UX (User Experience) Design traditionally focuses on how users interact with a product. It involves:

Researching user behaviours, pain points, and mental models
Mapping journeys and designing task flows
Ensuring usability, accessibility, and delight through interface design
Collaborating closely with UI designers, developers, and researchers

It's about ensuring clarity, simplicity, and empathy throughout the user journey.

Product Design

Strategy and Systems Thinking

Product Designers, on the other hand, zoom out. They not only care about the user's experience but also:

Align design with business goals and product strategy
Influence roadmaps and prioritisation decisions
Think in terms of scalable systems, not just screens
Consider technical feasibility and market fit
Balance the needs of users and the organisation

In essence, Product Designers connect the dots between UX, business, and tech to deliver outcomes — not just outputs.

Why I'm more than just a UX Designer

Over the years, I've designed for some of the most complex, high-stakes financial platforms — from global FX trading systems to commercial lending journeys. But my work goes far beyond surface-level interaction design.

I define frameworks that shape multiple apps across a platform
I create design systems that scale across organisations
I lead strategic initiatives — not just execute UI tickets
I improve business processes and user workflows (reducing time-on-task), cut operational costs, and drive real business impact
I've been both hands-on and at a strategic level — from detailed UX flows while also shaping roadmaps and product architecture

The Takeaway

While UX Design is a vital part of what I do, it's just one piece of the puzzle.

My work often sits at the intersection of business and product strategy, systems and product design, and user experience — which is why the label 'Product Designer' is more appropiate to describe me.

Why is my current job title 'Senior UX Designer'?

Some companies, including my current employer, use 'UX Designer' and 'Product Designer' interchangeably. In this case, the title reflects a well-established role that predates the broader adoption of the term 'Product Designer'. It also mirrors the organisation's current level of design maturity and internal role structuring.