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NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

nodesign.dev

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Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#61

Post by j_autumn »

nick-garfield wrote: post #30

I've got to recommend refactoringui.com. They sell a (rather expensive) book on web/mobile app design that explains how to build your design system and use it to create great looking apps. They cover all the bases you would expect like fonts, line-heights, colors, shadows, borders, sizing, working with images, visual hierarchy, using white space, etc. etc. I'm a developer by trade and I work primarily with one other…

1+ for the book. It gives enough inspiration for a clean look. The guy also worked together with Adam on Tailwindcss which is a nice class-based css framework which makes designing website a lot of fun. Especially because it gives some “constraints” i.e. only a handful of size options. Makes the whole design more consistent in my opinion.

I used to do a lot of web design back in ~2004-2008 before i became a developer, and while i like that the web nowadays is more accessible the design of today lacks individuality.The brand design is more shaped by the choice of colors and fonts imho.

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#62

Post by clairity »

gdubs wrote: post #49

If I could give one piece of advice for technical developers it’s that design isn’t all about the way it looks, it’s about the way it works. To expand on that, it’s how the pieces fit together within your set of constraints. There’s a LOT in common with what makes code beautiful or not. You get to the essential; nothing more, nothing less. This doesn’t mean “minimalist” , per se — just be wary of ornamentation that d…

> "...that gives the content some air."

lots of whitespace and "air" has become especially fashionable in the past many years. it makes design easier in some ways without necessarily pushing it forward. yes, it forces more conscientiousness of essentiality and contribution of each element (a good thing), but it's also used as an ipso facto justification to resist change and meeting needs (a bad thing).

i love seeing designs that are intricate yet coherent. that seems to push boundaries more than "air". that approach seems more challenging than "cut as many elements as necessary to achieve a desired white space ratio".

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#63

Post by Matumio »

brudgers wrote: post #45
eitland wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't this for people who cannot afford to have a graphic designer? Unless it is an open source project I feel it would be rude to ask someone to work for free on it.

Asking a designer to work on your open source project for free is like asking the local pizza parlor to feed your open source project for free. Unless your open source project is something that benefits designers it doesn't...well it doesn't benefit designers. The open source model is mostly developers building things that serve their own interests and the interests of other developers. On top of that developers tend…

If you build a tool for coders, you will most likely find coders who are willing to help. And if you build an (open source) tool for graphics, you will have no problem finding designers who are willing to help for free (speaking from experience).

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#64

Post by nicoburns »

elicash wrote: post #18
JoshTriplett wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My strategy: use a known CSS framework like Bootstrap, Any suggestions for using Bootstrap or another CSS framework without using JavaScript? I'd like a pure CSS framework. Bootstrap looks good, but doesn't document what if any limitations will apply if not using their JS.

https://bulma.io has no js included.

+1 for Bulma. I usually do custom design for anything customer facing. But I've been very happy with Bulma for a couple of internal dashboards where design wasn't important.

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#66

Post by duxup »

meristem wrote: post #57
felideon wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps not typically, as tech startup founders tend to skew on the engineering side (outside of your traditionally MBA-founded startups). But I believe a UX designer would make a great co-founder if they focus on user research, information architecture, and interaction design.

UX designers also have built in product management skills.

I mean this sincerely, they do?

I don't know much about UX designers jobs, do they deal with project management often?

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#67

Post by systemvoltage »

gdubs wrote: post #49

If I could give one piece of advice for technical developers it’s that design isn’t all about the way it looks, it’s about the way it works. To expand on that, it’s how the pieces fit together within your set of constraints. There’s a LOT in common with what makes code beautiful or not. You get to the essential; nothing more, nothing less. This doesn’t mean “minimalist” , per se — just be wary of ornamentation that d…

I think the problem is also with non-technical people who focus on aesthetics and push technical folks to make the product bloated. Design education would help project managers, and non-tech customers who are requesting that product or feature.

This is such a common problem that there is a meme about it "Can you make it pop a little more?".

Providing advice to technical folks is just a small part of this problem.

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#68

Post by gdubs »

clairity wrote: post #62
gdubs wrote: post #49

If I could give one piece of advice for technical developers it’s that design isn’t all about the way it looks, it’s about the way it works. To expand on that, it’s how the pieces fit together within your set of constraints. There’s a LOT in common with what makes code beautiful or not. You get to the essential; nothing more, nothing less. This doesn’t mean “minimalist” , per se — just be wary of ornamentation that d…

> "...that gives the content some air." lots of whitespace and "air" has become especially fashionable in the past many years. it makes design easier in some ways without necessarily pushing it forward. yes, it forces more conscientiousness of essentiality and contribution of each element (a good thing), but it's also used as an ipso facto justification to resist change and meeting needs (a bad thing). i love seeing…

Yes, great point! Even the best design principles can fall into 'trend' territory if they're not applied intentionally, to solve an actual problem. Exceptions definitely make the rule, and a site might find that extreme information density is what's called for. It really comes down to being intentional, being wary of trends for trends sake, and hammering on the constraints, and the problem one is trying to solve for the user.

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#69

Post by gdubs »

systemvoltage wrote: post #67
gdubs wrote: post #49

If I could give one piece of advice for technical developers it’s that design isn’t all about the way it looks, it’s about the way it works. To expand on that, it’s how the pieces fit together within your set of constraints. There’s a LOT in common with what makes code beautiful or not. You get to the essential; nothing more, nothing less. This doesn’t mean “minimalist” , per se — just be wary of ornamentation that d…

I think the problem is also with non-technical people who focus on aesthetics and push technical folks to make the product bloated. Design education would help project managers, and non-tech customers who are requesting that product or feature. This is such a common problem that there is a meme about it "Can you make it pop a little more?". Providing advice to technical folks is just a small part of this problem.

When I was first starting out it was, "can we make it edgier?"

The IDEO philosophy – which has really influenced a lot of Silicon Valley's best teams – is all about what you're saying. Design Thinking is really about making everyone on the team a designer. Everyone has their speciality, but the Designer's role is to bring everyone together with a process that involves everyone.

This was the approach used by Apple when they first launched their Apple Stores, twenty years ago. Rather than impose a design created in a vacuum, they brought together a diverse team that included someone representing the retail employee perspective.

Re: NoDesign.dev – Tools and resources for non-artistic developers

#70

Post by brudgers »

Matumio wrote: post #63
brudgers wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Asking a designer to work on your open source project for free is like asking the local pizza parlor to feed your open source project for free. Unless your open source project is something that benefits designers it doesn't...well it doesn't benefit designers. The open source model is mostly developers building things that serve their own interests and the interests of other developers. On top of that developers tend…

If you build a tool for coders, you will most likely find coders who are willing to help. And if you build an (open source) tool for graphics, you will have no problem finding designers who are willing to help for free (speaking from experience).

Sorry for not being clear. I don’t disagree. An open source tool for designers would probably attract designers’ contributions. Very few open source projects are tools for designers. Most projects looking for free design contributions are not for designers. The ideas of giving back or what comes around goes around don’t apply because the the interests of most projects do not include benefits for designers.
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