Of course there is a huge overlap. The UX Research forms the basis of product design. Once the problem is defined/ identified, it is followed by ideation, which is done through sketching or any alternate methods of visual representation to nail the solution. This is followed by product development. The products can be Digital/ Intangible or Physical/ Tangible. In case of a digital product the next step would move to UI Design through the wireframing and other methods like usability testing till the visual step comes up. In physical products, the sketches are translated to 3D models, which are testing for workability and then moved to physical/ 3d printed prototypes.
Sometimes, the solutions is neither digital nor physical. It could be conceptual, like design or a service or a system. So Design Thinking can come up with these 4 solutions
- Digital/ UI Design
- Product Design
- Service Design
- System Design
- A hybrid of 2 or more of the above
Succeeding in this field requires a lot of intellectual investment and an honest approach. You would require a good mentor during learning and even much later in your career, since the work done is a very responsible work impacting many people, unlike a fashion or a textile design, or an art form where your work has a limited circle of influence.
Link to Original Article: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-UX-design-UI-design-and-product-design-Is-there-any-overlap-between-these-roles-or-are-they-completely-different/answer/Vineet-Raj-Kapoor