Designer v Developer Death Match
There’s been some interesting buzz going around about the role of designers and developers in the modern web development process. The demi-gods at 37Signals sparked some controversy when they posted about why they skip photoshop. Andy Rutledge posted an entry on his Design View blog about how to be an employable designer. James Bennett summed everything up nicely with his Designers and Developers: FIGHT! entry.
I’m surprised (and not at the same time) from the reaction from both designers and developers. Both want to keep their “I know something you don’t know” status while insisting that their jobs and skills are important. However, once we inject some professionalism into the debate it becomes clear why combining talents is the best scenario.
The Geek Ethos and Jock Revenge
Part of the greater geek ethos is that you’re a superior being who has used your talents to amass an amazing amount of knowledge and skill in a particular field. You step on those ignorant fools who can’t normalize a database or implement a design pattern. You have sacrificed your time and energy (and encounters with the opposite sex) to get to this level and Linus willing you will not have some pesky designer approaching your level of geekliness.
There is something about your average programmer, developer, dba and general nerd that gives them an inferiority complex where knowledge of a subject and skills in a work environment are treated like a zero sum game, “you cannot has mai skeels!”.
Study the Basics, Master Their Use
In the modern web development work flow, the best results occur when designers and developers work side by side to produce the end result. If the separation between the two is too great, there will be an obvious disconnect between the design of the finished product and the development of the finished product. Like a puzzle missing some pieces.
To achieve this melding of talents both designer and developer need to go beyond their comfort zones and learn something new from one another.
Designers
- Learn basic HTML
- Learn basic CSS styling and layout concepts
- Learn how your developer’s program interacts with your design (the V in MVC)
- Learn the basic concepts of your developer’s programming language
Developers
- Learn the basics of information architecture, usability and visual hierarchy
- Learn the basics of spacing, margins and padding for elements on the page
- Learn how to use white space
- Learn the basics of design (line, type, shape, contrast, texture etc.)
Ignoring Ego for Fun and Profit
If designers and developers can get past their own desire to be the most important person in the process and realize that their own personal short comings are what matter, the world of web development will be a better place. You will be amazed at how successful you are when you’re on the same page as your designer. It’s not enough to complain that the other person doesn’t know what you do and that they don’t respect your skills, drink your own medicine and learn what you don’t know if you want to become a better piece of the puzzle.
