About two years ago, The Ken published an article Everyone wants to be a designer. What does the designer get to be?

TL;DR: As design becomes critical to the success of businesses, design career paths ought to reflect that too. Product management is a natural progression.

I differ.

"Graduating" into product management isn't the necessary logical step in a designer's career. Designers should aim to become better designers. Designers are creators, and that’s where their value is. To themselves, to the organisation they're part of.

The article suggests that since designers already have human-centered mindsets, they’re naturally suited for product management. That’s not the point. Being a great designer isn’t a stepping stone to product management — being a great designer is an end in itself.

Tony Fadell, the inventor of the iPod and founder of Nest, emphasised that designers who remain focused on creation are the ones who change industries. He didn’t start out thinking about managing people — he was obsessed with building great products. His design focus is what disrupted the home automation industry with Nest, and it’s why the iPod revolutionised portable music.

Jony Ive is one of the most legendary designers of our time. He didn’t “graduate” to product management at Apple. Instead, he remained a designer, shaping some of the most iconic products from the iPhone to the MacBook. Ive understood that mastering the craft of design was infinitely more valuable than managing spreadsheets and product timelines.

Another prime example is James Dyson (I just read his book so keep referencing him a lot :D). Dyson didn’t become Dyson by managing product teams. He spent decades perfecting vacuum technology, failing over 5,000 times in his attempts to build a better vacuum. His relentless pursuit of innovation made him a design legend—not a product manager.

The world needs more creators, not more product managers. We need designers who are obsessed with the craft, get the power & support to push boundaries, and who innovate through their designs.

Instead of pushing designers into management roles, let’s promote mastery and the pursuit of creativity.