Did Anyone Check With The Developer?

Design and development might seem like two separate tasks, but if they don’t mesh, your web project fails.

Design firms must communicate with the developers throughout the entire project to create a site that not only looks good but functions well too. It’s the ultimate goal.

For happier clients, don’t try to focus on the design without seeing what the developers are doing. It’ll save you time and prevent many headaches if you just work together.

Some Designs Aren’t Possible

Many design programs don’t take into account the restrictions of a web page. The template might look stunning and perfect on your screen, but a web browser might not be able to render it exactly as designed. A quick check with the developers and you’ll instantly know what can and can’t be done. For instance, you’ll find out exactly how large the header can be or how the site adjusts with a responsive design.

Working on a design for weeks that will only be destroyed by the developers isn’t going to make your clients happy. Explain your vision to the developers upfront to avoid wasted time later.

Avoid The Patchwork Look

Have you ever seen a site that looks like 10 different people worked on it and just slapped it together at the last minute? This is exactly what happens without effective teamwork. There’s a fine line between design and development. When the two are done separately, it shows.

Some sections of the site function well, but look horrible. Other areas look amazing, but they don’t function correctly. It’s usually up to a web support company to come in and fix the function problems as the design firm struggles to solve the patchwork look.

Floating Deadline

You might have told your project manager the project would be done in a month. Did you take into account the development time? Developers not only have to code the site but work on the design your firm created. This takes extra time. Promising a deadline that the developers can’t meet only leaves you with dissatisfied clients. This is a team project. Talk to the developers upfront and work together to set a realistic deadline. Otherwise, everyone looks bad.

Developers Need Wiggle Room

Every browser works a little differently. Your design may be perfect for Chrome, but some elements are crushed together in Firefox. There’s no reason to panic. Talk to the developers. Once they understand what you’re looking for, they can help you figure out the right dimensions for elements so there’s plenty of wiggle room for these browser discrepancies.

The same applies to devise sizes. Did you design the site with a smartphone in mind or just a desktop? You need to check with the developer to see if they need a separate mobile design or if they’re using a responsive design. Either way, you’ll need to know how to arrange your design to best fit their development strategy.

Make Style Choices Clear

Does the template you provided make it clear how large the buttons in the sidebar should be? Are the color values listed so there’s no guesswork by the developer? These might seem obvious to you, but a developer isn’t a designer. They might think altering the sizes of certain elements a little won’t make a difference. Without an actual color value, they might think one blue is close enough to another that it doesn’t matter.

Make your style choices clear. If there’s something that needs to be changed, ask the developer to work with you on it. You’ll know which elements can be changed without ruining how effective those elements are.

Conclusion

Website projects don’t have to be so frustrating. Make time throughout the process to talk to the developers. It’s better for everyone involved to start working together from day one. The site will look and function better. Plus, clients will be much happier.