Product design requires many tools and many skills. A good product has a certain balance of technologies with no particular technology carrying too much of the load. Software, hardware, firmware, optics, chemistry, fluid handling, electro-optics and all else should work in harmony to meet the product's requirements.

Components working together - that's the key. A good product designer knows how to build a system that is simple in design but elegant in operation. A product that begs to be manufactured.

A good product designer understands the tradeoffs and consequences of each decision and can move the various component designs along in a timely manner so they're all ready for manufacturing at the same time.