Team: Retail App Design Team

Experience Duration: 6 Months

Role: Product Designer

Tools: Sketch, Flinto, Quip, Miro, Jira, Keynote, Pages

Career Experience Overview

As a Product Designer on Apple’s Retail App Design team, I contributed to the design of apps for Apple Retail Stores, enhancing tools for Apple Retail Employees. My primary focus was on refining the UI component library by updating and standardizing symbols to ensure visual consistency across applications. I also integrated new UI components to keep our design language current and user-centric.

In addition to design work, I participated in user research, visiting Apple Retail Stores to support user interviews and usability testing, collecting insights to guide our designs. Collaborating closely with Engineers, Product Managers, and Producers, I prepared spec documents for smooth handoff and led presentations to gather stakeholder feedback. I also ensured support for Right-to-Left (RTL) languages, making our designs accessible globally.

My work included participating in design sprints and weekly critiques, where I both received and contributed feedback to strengthen our team’s output.

What I Learned As A Product Designer

  1. Communication is Key – Communicating early and often is essential to keep designs moving in the right direction and ensure everyone is on the same page.

  2. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know – It’s your job to ask questions when things aren’t clear. As a junior designer or new team member, don’t assume people know what you do or don’t know. Speak up and ask questions freely.

  3. Document Your Progress – It’s easy to forget details of what you’ve worked on. Write down as much as you can (within reason) to track your progress, and take time to reflect often.

  4. Practice Presenting – A big part of the job is meeting with designers, engineers, product teams, and others. Practicing your presentation skills will make these meetings run smoothly.

  5. Networking Matters – In this industry, it’s definitely what you know, but also who you know. Get to know your peers, understand their communication styles, and learn from their perspectives. Every designer has a unique viewpoint.

  6. Stay Organized – Whether you’re juggling five projects or just two, staying organized is critical. Create a schedule, set reminders, and establish daily or weekly goals to stay on track.

  7. Feedback is Key – Seek feedback early, especially from lead designers and cross-functional partners, to stay aligned with requirements and business needs.

  8. Take Breaks – Pace yourself! Regular breaks are essential to avoid burnout and maintain high-quality work. Take walks, stay hydrated, and give your mind time to recharge.

REFLECTION

While I can’t share images or specific details of my work here, I’d be happy to connect with anyone interested in learning more about my experience. My time as a Product Designer at Apple was incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to continue growing on this journey. A heartfelt thank you to the Retail App Design team and to Apple for such an incredible opportunity. Here’s to many more design adventures ahead!

Thank you.