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My Published Works

My Published Works

My Published Works

$14.99

$9.99

The Book
In "The Truth About Being a Product Designer," I strip away the hype to deliver an honest and insightful look into the realities of this dynamic and challenging field. Drawing on my experience as a Silicon Valley veteran, I provide data-driven insights, real-world examples, and practical advice to help both aspiring and seasoned designers succeed in today’s competitive landscape.

The Book
In "The Truth About Being a Product Designer," I strip away the hype to deliver an honest and insightful look into the realities of this dynamic and challenging field. Drawing on my experience as a Silicon Valley veteran, I provide data-driven insights, real-world examples, and practical advice to help both aspiring and seasoned designers succeed in today’s competitive landscape.

From mastering core skills to navigating complex business environments, and from addressing ethical dilemmas to embracing emerging technologies, this book covers it all. With a direct, engaging style and hands-on exercises, along with insights from industry experts, I offer readers a comprehensive toolkit to thrive in the world of product design. Whether you're just starting out or advancing your career, "The Truth About Being a Product Designer" equips you with the strategies, insights, and inspiration to excel in this ever-evolving profession. It's time to embrace the challenges, seize the opportunities, and make your mark in product design.

From mastering core skills to navigating complex business environments, and from addressing ethical dilemmas to embracing emerging technologies, this book covers it all. With a direct, engaging style and hands-on exercises, along with insights from industry experts, I offer readers a comprehensive toolkit to thrive in the world of product design. Whether you're just starting out or advancing your career, "The Truth About Being a Product Designer" equips you with the strategies, insights, and inspiration to excel in this ever-evolving profession. It's time to embrace the challenges, seize the opportunities, and make your mark in product design.

$4.99

$2.99

The Workbook
Enhance your learning journey with the perfect companion to my book, "The Truth About Being a Product Designer." This comprehensive workbook is crafted to reinforce key concepts and build the essential skills needed for both aspiring and experienced product designers.


Inside, you'll find practical exercises and real-world challenges that bring theory to life, guiding you through the entire product design process—from concept to implementation. These hands-on activities will help you strengthen critical skills in UX/UI design, user research, and prototyping, while also offering insights on how to align design decisions with broader business goals.


As you progress, you'll gain practical tips for mastering industry-standard design tools and develop strategies to navigate and advance your career in the fast-evolving field of product design. Whether you're new to the field or looking to hone your expertise, this workbook provides a structured, practical approach to your growth as a designer.

The Workbook
Enhance your learning journey with the perfect companion to my book, "The Truth About Being a Product Designer." This comprehensive workbook is crafted to reinforce key concepts and build the essential skills needed for both aspiring and experienced product designers.


Inside, you'll find practical exercises and real-world challenges that bring theory to life, guiding you through the entire product design process—from concept to implementation. These hands-on activities will help you strengthen critical skills in UX/UI design, user research, and prototyping, while also offering insights on how to align design decisions with broader business goals.


As you progress, you'll gain practical tips for mastering industry-standard design tools and develop strategies to navigate and advance your career in the fast-evolving field of product design. Whether you're new to the field or looking to hone your expertise, this workbook provides a structured, practical approach to your growth as a designer.

About Me

I’m Jay Trainer, a seasoned product designer and leader with over 15 years of experience working with leading tech companies and startups in Silicon Valley. Over the course of my career, I’ve experienced firsthand the fast-paced evolution of the product design landscape, along with its challenges and opportunities.


After mentoring junior designers and speaking at industry conferences, I noticed a significant gap in the resources available. Too many design books and courses paint an idealistic picture, failing to prepare designers for the practical, day-to-day realities of the field. That’s what inspired me to start writing. I wanted to provide straightforward, actionable advice that designers—both new and experienced—could rely on to navigate the real-world demands of the profession.


My goal is to combine data-driven insights with real-world examples and actionable strategies, giving readers the tools they need to succeed in this dynamic industry. My writing style is direct and engaging—I don’t sugarcoat the challenges, but I balance honesty with encouragement, offering practical solutions to help designers thrive. Through my books, I hope to reach a broader audience, helping to shape the next generation of design leaders and make a lasting impact on the product design community.

Professionally, I am most passionate about serving as a player/coach, leading product strategy and design projects by example.

My wife and I became new parents last year to our beautiful daughter, Seraphine.

In my free time, I enjoy carpentry and woodworking with my helper, our Australian shepherd, Ithaca.

Jay Trainer Design | © 2024. All rights reserved. | Email | LinkedIn

Jay Trainer Design © 2024. All rights reserved.

Email | LinkedIn

Jay Trainer Design | © 2024. All rights reserved. | Email | LinkedIn