Is UX UI a good stepping stone to get into Product Management?
Currently have the opportunity to transition into UX UI at IBM. Currently an apprentice developer at a CIC. Can code, but also like creativity. I don’t really see a lot of posts about UX UI transition to PM, mostly data. Are there other paths to check out? #ui/ux #designer #product #productdesign #productdesigner #productmanager #pm
Are UX UI roles hiring in US? Everything I’ve seen had been overseas
I have not personally seen it from UX but it's possible. You could certainly take steps with networking to increase the long-term chances.
It depends on where you want to work. Most tech companies want PMs with technical background rather than a design background. It is possible though and PMs with a design background are so great to work with.
I did it, although I am a more technically inclined person. UX gets you in with a product team and close to users. You’ll need to fill in other PM skills to make the leap, but you’re already in the right area, so it’s easier.
Awesome that you made the transition! How technical is technical if you don’t mind me asking
I can logically understand the system and some of the limitations. So sequence of operations, why a system can talk to another system, and the data model. It’s mostly about how it works versus the super technical details. A good analogy would be a car. I know that gas goes to the engine, gas goes boom, that turns the transmission, which turns the wheels. Can I replace a transmission? Nope! But I can also kind of figure out where a problem is and how to resolve it. A lot of UX designers nope out when you say “spark plug.”
I recommend directly applying outside for PM roles.
There’s high competition for entry level product management roles. I need some sort of leverage on my resume.
Show experience through side projects or PM-ey stuff in current role like doing customer research, market research, building a roadmap, prioritizing stuff etc. Also, continue building expertise in a domain like developer experience, security, fintech etc. Moving to UI/UX may not help much because Design is a different function. I’m a PM on the security side and don’t have to deal much with UX stuff much and there is generally a designer to help. I was never tested on my UX strengths during interviews either.