Living Among the Developers: A Designer’s Perspective
Ah, the age old debate of looking good or working well. Is it more important to attract attention or sustain usability? To appease our inner artist or satisfy our utilitarian instincts? The debate of design vs development, frontend vs backend, form vs function.
Of course it is an oversimplification that would lead you to believe that form and function are mutually exclusive. I in no way think that these two are incompatible. However, in my limited but valuable experience I have come to learn that a designer with developer’s abilities and vice versa exists the same way a unicorn or a purple elephant might exist, as a figment of our untamed imagination. What follows are lessons, from a designers perspective, on this very subject. I realize that I open myself up for ridicule and mockery for not recognizing those who have not only accomplished this task but have done it well. To these I simply reply, thank you for reading my blog.
THE OBSERVATION
If I were to say that I have never felt like Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey, as they patiently and carefully crouched behind rocks and trees in foreign jungles to study Chimpanzees and Gorillas, I would be a liar. In fact this feeling is only intensified by the fact that at Mach 9, instead of cubicles, we work underneath actual tiki huts. I have noticed some of the habits of the developer and wish to share them now.
The developer is normally very thoughtful and focused on the work that is given them. They are very involved in that work to the point that it can become dangerous to interrupt with questions or comments related to the way their work will be displayed. The developer is also very concise and clear in their instruction. The same way a military commander would hand a subordinate detailed instructions on how to proceed with the invasion the developer will at times pass along instructions, however very rarely will it be for an invasion. On very many occasions I found the developers to be…how should i put this…careful, cautious, exacting, neat, systematic, diplomatic, accurate and tactful but sometimes self-willed, stubborn, opinionated and flat out rude. However, in just the same way that Dian Fossey stretched out her hand to give her beloved and wild gorilla ‘Peanuts’ a love pat, so too must designers and developers come together for the good of the Internet.
THE ANALYSIS
The designer tends to have very many opposite traits to that of his/her counterpart the developer. Designers tend to be more idealistic and flighty but concerned with beauty and, more practically, usability. It is not only my intent to prove that both designer and developer alike can co-exist but to show that they can work together in a beautiful harmony to produce some amazing and cutting edge products. This is what I have really been discovering in my time as the Creative Director at Mach 9. The developers are good people with good intentions. Beyond that nothing is accomplished without them. In this way the relationship is as far from mutually exclusive as you can get. Instead I have learned that the success of a web development company is fully dependent on the success of the designer and developer relationship.
THE APPLICATION
Modern web design is such that it attempts to create the ‘easiest to use’ yet still ‘most powerful’ websites. This is partly what is meant by the term Web 2.0. (you like that don’t you Google) It goes beyond the designers ability to create nice drop shadows or shiny floor reflections. It means creating and designing in a way that not only appeases our inner artist but speaks volumes to our silent utilitarian. It is here that I have found the answer to the debate between form and function. In much the same way Apple has put its most powerful computers into the sleekest looking boxes, designers and developers must work together in harmony to accomplish amazing feats.
-Robert
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