Arrested Development

It’s now time to address my developer brothers. Thought you could get away that easily, huh? In any relationship, both partners need to make an effort. A designer-developer collaboration is no different. Here are a few ways for developers to improve their work habits.

Developers should make themselves available from the beginning of the project i.e. the discovery phase. And it shouldn’t be just as a mute spectator in meetings. They should actively contribute to the discussion and make their expertise available to the designers. This would give them a sense of ownership of the project.

Also, they should explain all the high-level concepts in a language that everyone can understand. Throwing technical jargons at the designers doesn’t help anyone. It would just add to the chaos. They need to be honest with what can be done and in how much time; and explain all the development constraints ahead of time for the team to create more appropriate solutions.

Lastly, developers should try learning about design. A little knowledge of design concepts will help developers better understand the designer’s frame of mind. Instead of just shooting down ideas, they could provide alternate feasible solutions.

The relationship between a designer and a developer is a symbiotic relationship. Why do I say that? Coz it’s the living together of two unlike organisms. They love to hate each other and yet both need each other. Designers need developers to make design smart and developers need designers to make technology usable. Now it’s up to them as to how they cultivate this relationship. It could either be parasitic where one gains at the cost of the other. Or it could be mutually benefiting for both to achieve the common goal.

References:

  • https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/05/two-cats-in-a-sack-designer-developer-discord/

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