designPro

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

From idea to design

In this first episode of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem dives into the exciting world of digital product design. Whether you’re just starting with a concept or refining your vision, this episode will guide you through using two of the most powerful tools in the design game—Figma and Sketch. Raheem will show you how to transform your ideas into beautiful, functional designs by creating a sample landing page for the “RKB Mobile App Launch Page” (and no, the app’s not real… yet!). You’ll learn the ins and outs of Figma, why it’s a favorite among top tech giants, and how to get started on your own project. Then, he’ll transition to Sketch, the Mac-exclusive tool loved by designers for its precision and integration in the Apple ecosystem.

Watch as Raheem walks you through both tools, explains how they complement each other, and sets the stage for turning your digital ideas into reality. Get ready to craft designs like a pro.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Prototyping your product

In this episode, we explore the world of interactivity in design with Raheem Kareem. We discuss how to create prototypes and map out user flows using InVision and Miro, ensuring your designs not only look good but also function as intended. We’ll learn how InVision allows you to turn static designs into clickable, interactive mockups, and how Miro helps you visualize the entire user journey, from idea to launch. By using these tools together, you can test the design, refine the user experience, and build a product your users will love.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Design systems in action

In Episode 3 of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem takes you into the world of design systems with two of the industry’s leading tools: Storybook and Zeplin. Learn how to keep your digital products consistent and cohesive across teams by managing UI components in isolation with Storybook, and see how Zeplin bridges the gap between designers and developers, ensuring your designs not only look great but function perfectly.

Raheem demos both platforms, showing you how to integrate Figma with Zeplin, create a streamlined design workflow, and keep your projects on track. Whether you’re new to design or a seasoned pro, this episode will help you master the tools that keep design systems running smoothly. Tune in for a practical, hands-on look at building and managing your design systems with ease.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Design to code collaboration

In Episode 4 of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem takes us on a journey from design to code, showing how to streamline collaboration between designers and developers using Sketch, Abstract, and GitHub. Whether you’re a designer looking to organize your creative process or a developer looking to integrate design into your workflow, this episode is for you.

Raheem showcases Abstract, a powerful tool that brings Git-like version control to the design world, and demonstrates how you can manage design updates and synchronize them with your GitHub repository. He’ll even highlight the Abstract SDK for those ready to dive into APIs and command-line integrations. Tune in to see how Abstract can revolutionize your product design process.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Building your tech stack

In Episode 5 of DesignPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem walks you through one of the foundational steps in product development—choosing the right tech stack! Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a no-code enthusiast, Raheem showcases how to build your digital backbone with popular development architectures, MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js), MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js, Node.js), and MEVN (MongoDB, Express.js, Vue.js, Node.js) full-stack frameworks, all powered by React.js and Node.js.

For those who prefer a simpler, no-code approach, Raheem introduces Bubble.io, an accessible platform that lets you create fully functional apps without writing a single line of code. Watch as Raheem demos two projects, UImagine.ai and DreamService, to show what’s possible using Bubble.io. He’ll also point you to resources like Bubble’s step-by-step guides to get started on your own build.

Whether you’re looking to create a powerful, dynamic app with code or build without any programming knowledge, this episode has something for everyone. Tune in to learn how to select the tech stack that best fits your product needs.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Testing & iterating products

In Episode 6 of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem breaks down the crucial process of testing and iterating your product using two powerful tools: Maze and Lyssna (formerly UsabilityHub). Whether you’re refining your design, prioritizing features, or gathering user feedback, this episode covers how to streamline your product development efforts.

Raheem begins by showcasing Maze, walking you through how to create a survey, deploy it for real user feedback, and analyze the results to improve your product. Then, he dives into Lyssna, highlighting its recent rebrand and showing how its intuitive ‘Prioritize Product Features’ template can help you decide which features to focus on next.

Tune in to learn how to optimize your product’s testing and iteration process, whether you’re a seasoned developer or just getting started. Ready to level up your product’s performance? Watch now.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Designing with data insights

In Episode 7 of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem dives deep into the world of data analytics and how it can transform your product design. Understanding user behavior is critical to refining the user experience, and Raheem takes you through three powerful tools that make this possible.

First, explore how Mixpanel helps track user engagement and behavior in real-time, providing invaluable insights for improving your app. Next, learn how Datadog offers performance monitoring to keep your product running smoothly and efficiently. Finally, Raheem showcases the industry-standard Google Analytics through the Google Marketing Platform, demonstrating how to set up a dummy account to track user behavior, analyze traffic, and make data-driven design decisions.

Whether you’re a product designer or developer, this episode will help you use data to build more intuitive, user-friendly products. Want to level up your data analytics game? Tune in to learn how these tools can refine the user experience and take your product to the next level, watch now.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Marketing & branding your product

In Episode 8 of designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem dives into the essential tools for marketing your product and building your brand. Whether you’re a designer showcasing your skills or a business owner launching a product, this episode will introduce you to four powerful platforms that can elevate your marketing efforts.

Starting with Dribbble, Raheem explains how designers can use this platform to attract attention to their portfolios and get noticed by potential clients. He then moves to Behance, highlighting its integration with Adobe Creative Cloud and how it offers designers a chance to create detailed case studies to show off their creative process. Next, Raheem explores Canva, a user-friendly tool for creating stunning marketing visuals without needing professional design experience—perfect for social media, presentations, and more. Finally, Raheem wraps up with Webflow, a no-code website builder that empowers you to create professional-grade websites to market your product and execute your go-to-market plan seamlessly.

Tune in to learn how these tools can help you build a lasting brand and successfully market your product, whether you’re just starting or scaling your business.

designPro: Product Technology from Blueprint to Buildout

Launching your product

In the final episode of designPro: From Blueprint to Buildout, Raheem Kareem ties it all together by focusing on the ultimate goal—launching your product successfully. He begins by exploring Product Hunt, one of the best platforms for showcasing new creations and getting real-time feedback from a vibrant community. Raheem walks you through his own experience launching a product on Product Hunt, sharing insider tips on how to gain visibility, attract upvotes, and engage with potential users. Whether you’re a creator, developer, or entrepreneur, Raheem’s insights will help you maximize your product’s launch-day impact.

Next, Raheem dives into LaunchDarkly, a powerful tool for managing feature releases and reducing risk during rollouts. He demonstrates how to use the LaunchDarkly risk meter to fine-tune your launch strategy, ensuring a smooth, stress-free release. As Raheem wraps up the DesignPro series, he reflects on the journey from product design to deployment, offering practical advice for anyone looking to bring their vision to life. Don’t miss Episode 9 packed with expert tips and actionable strategies to help you launch your product with confidence and finish the series strong.