Agency vs. In-House Product Designer

If you’re just starting out in product design, you’ve probably heard people talk about “agency life” and “in-house life.”

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They’re the two main paths you can take, and they couldn’t feel more different once you’re inside them. I want to break down what each one is really like (the pace, the challenges, the rewards) so you know what to expect and how to figure out which path might fit you best.

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What Stays the Same

No matter where you are, the fundamentals don’t budge.The user always comes first.

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You’re always collaborating with people who care about totally different things than you do. And you always need to tell a damn good story about your work so non-designers actually get it. Those skills are universal. They follow you wherever you go.

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Agency Life: Fast, Messy, and Kind of Addictive

Agency work moves at warp speed.

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One week I’m running an OOUX workshop. The next I’m reworking a checkout flow or untangling a sitemap.

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You dive into industries you’ve never touched and figure them out overnight. It can feel chaotic, but honestly, it's exciting.

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However, you hand projects off and sometimes never see how they land. The motto of a good agency should be "with or without us". That can feel like unfinished business at times.

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I’ve learned to let go and focus on impact in the time I do have. I focus on documenting my files well to set the client up to succeed. And most of the time I've built up a great relationship along the way, so clients have come back for my knowledge and expertise.

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In-House Life: Slow Burn with Some Big Payoffs

In-house life feels like a complete flip. The pace slows down, but the depth cranks way up.

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You live with your designs. You ship them, watch them break, fix them, and refine them. That long-term loop is where you really learn discipline.

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The relationships are also different. You’re not just impressing people once, you often work with the same developers, QA team, and product mangers every day. You need to earn trust, keep it, and learn to navigate company politics.

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The upside is you get to see the impact of your work grow over time, and that’s incredibly rewarding.

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The Takeaway

Neither side is better. They’re just two flavors of design life. Agency sharpens your adaptability. In-house builds your depth. If you get the chance, do both. The combo makes you a more versatile designer.

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Agency vs. In-House: The Pros and Cons

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Agency Pros

• Learn fast
• Endless variety
• Exposure to new industries
• Sharpens adaptability

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Agency Cons

• Burnout is real
• Handoffs feel like unfinished stories
• Less long-term ownership

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In-House Pros

• Deeper impact
• Ongoing learning from users
• Stronger influence and relationships
• Grow and scale design systems

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In-House Cons

• Slower pace
• Risk of getting too comfortable
• Office politics (yep, they’re everywhere)
• Less variety