What Kind of Designer Should I Be

One press picks a kind of designer to look into, with what that designer makes.

What Kind of Designer Should I Be

Show all 52
  1. Type designerDesigns typefaces: the letters, numbers and symbols used in print and on screens.

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How it works

Design is many jobs, not one. Press the button for a kind of designer, from type designer to level designer, each with what that designer makes.

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Pick the field before the specialty

Many names on this list are specialties inside one occupation. The Occupational Outlook Handbook of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics files packaging and book cover design under graphic designers, footwear, accessory and costume design under fashion designers, kitchen and bath design under interior designers, and furniture and toy design under industrial designers. Pick the parent field first; the specialty can come later.

Most design starts as a sketch

The same Handbook says most fashion designers first sketch their designs by hand, industrial designers sketch ideas before they build virtual models and physical prototypes, and set and exhibit designers prepare drawings by hand or in computer-aided design programs. Whatever you draw, a sketchbook is a fair first tool.

Questions and answers

What are the different types of designers?

Sort them by what they make: pages (graphic, book and type designers), screens (web, user experience and motion designers), clothes (fashion, costume and textile designers), spaces (interior, set and landscape designers), products (industrial and furniture designers) and games.

What degree does a designer need?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says graphic, fashion, interior and industrial designers typically need a bachelor’s degree, while most floral designers have a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job in a few months.

Do designers need a portfolio?

Usually. The Handbook says candidates for graphic design jobs should have a portfolio that shows their creativity and originality, and that industrial designers need an electronic portfolio with examples of their design projects.

What is the difference between a UX designer and a UI designer?

A user experience designer shapes the whole experience a person has with a product or service. A user interface designer designs the interface itself, for software and for machines such as mobile devices and home appliances.

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All 52 kinds of designer

Pages and print 10

  • Art director Sets the visual style of a magazine, an ad campaign or a film set. Many start as graphic designers.
  • Book cover designer A graphic designer who works on the visual designs used on book jackets.
  • Book designer Decides how a book looks and feels: type, margins, page layout, paper and binding.
  • Experiential graphic designer A graphic designer who works with architects on museum exhibitions and retail spaces.
  • Graphic designer Lays out ads, brochures, magazines and reports, by hand or in illustration and layout software.
  • Information designer Presents information so that it is understood quickly and well. Close to data visualization.
  • Instructional designer Designs learning materials and experiences, both digital and physical.
  • Packaging designer A graphic designer who creates the graphics used on product packaging.
  • Signage designer Designs signs and symbols that give information, such as the signs that guide people through buildings.
  • Type designer Designs typefaces: the letters, numbers and symbols used in print and on screens.

Screens 6

  • Digital designer Develops and tests the layout and navigation of a website or app, in prototypes and mockups.
  • Interaction designer Designs how interactive digital products and services behave, more than how they look.
  • Motion designer Puts graphic design in motion, as in moving type and the opening sequences of films and shows.
  • User experience designer Shapes what a person goes through when using a product or service. Begins by sketching wireframes.
  • User interface designer Designs the interfaces of software and machines, from mobile devices to home appliances.
  • Web designer Creates the look and feel of a website: photos, color, type, graphics and layout.

Clothes and accessories 7

  • Accessory designer Designs and produces handbags, suitcases, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery and eyewear.
  • Clothing designer Creates and helps produce apparel, from casual wear and suits to sportswear and outerwear.
  • Costume designer Designs costumes for the performing arts, film and television, after researching the period.
  • Fashion designer Creates original clothing, accessories and footwear. Most first sketch their designs by hand.
  • Footwear designer Creates and helps produce styles of shoes and boots, using new materials as they appear.
  • Jewelry designer Designs and creates jewelry, one of the earliest forms of decoration.
  • Textile designer Designs cloth. The three main branches are printed, woven and mixed media textile design.

Rooms, stages and gardens 16

  • Corporate designer An interior designer of professional workplaces, from small offices to large buildings.
  • Exhibit designer Creates spaces that showcase products, art or artifacts, for museums and trade shows.
  • Floral designer Arranges live, dried and silk flowers and greenery into displays. Most learn on the job.
  • Garden designer Plans the layout and planting of gardens. Most have some training in horticulture.
  • Healthcare designer Plans and renovates clinics, doctors’ offices, hospitals and residential care facilities.
  • Interior designer Makes indoor spaces functional, safe and beautiful. Most drawings are made in CAD software.
  • Kitchen and bath designer An interior designer who knows the cabinets, fixtures, appliances and plumbing of those two rooms.
  • Landscape architect Designs parks, campuses and gardens, with plans drawn in CADD software. Every US state requires a license.
  • Landscape designer Works between landscape architecture and garden design, combining nature and culture.
  • Lighting designer Designs lighting systems, with electric light, daylight or both.
  • Production designer Responsible for the overall look of a film or a television story.
  • Set designer Designs sets for movies, television and theater. Draws by hand or in CAD programs.
  • Sound designer Creates the sound of films, television, video games and theater.
  • Sustainable designer Suggests ways to improve a building’s energy and water use and its indoor air quality.
  • Universal designer Renovates spaces to make them more accessible, such as an entryway without steps.
  • Urban designer Shapes the physical features of towns and cities, from one street to a whole city.

Products and services 8

  • Automotive designer Shapes the look of cars, motorcycles, trucks and buses, and some of their ergonomics.
  • Consumer electronics designer An industrial designer who works on products such as computers and smart phones.
  • Furniture designer An industrial designer who develops ideas for furniture.
  • Industrial designer Develops concepts for manufactured products such as cars, home appliances and toys. Starts with sketches.
  • Medical equipment designer An industrial designer who focuses on medical equipment.
  • Product designer Turns an idea into a new product that a business can make and sell.
  • Service designer Plans the people, communication and materials of a service to improve it for its users.
  • Toy designer An industrial designer who develops the concepts for toys.

Games 5

  • Game artist Makes the art of a video game, beginning with rough sketches of characters, settings and objects.
  • Game designer Works out the rules, mechanics and systems of a game, such as a board game or a card game.
  • Level designer Creates the look, feel and layout of the levels of a video game.
  • Narrative designer Designs the story elements of a game around how players interact with the story.
  • Video game designer Sets a video game’s rules and content first, then its gameplay, world, story and characters.