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

nodesign.dev

101–110 of 164 posts

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

#101
post #10

Alternatively, just work with a designer. There are thousands of them out there who want to build tech stuff but don't have the skills. They want developers to collaborate with. Reach out to some on social media and you might be surprised how receptive they are. You don't have to do everything on your own, and you definitely shouldn't compromise on design if you want your project to succeed.

> There are thousands of them out there who want to build tech stuff but don't have the skills.

This sounds like a pretty cynical take. I know plenty of designers who want to design for tech, not because they "don't have the skills" to "build tech stuff" but because they have different skills, aka design skills (user research methods, applying UX best practices, visual design, the list goes on). Although many design departments may have originally started under engineering, I like to think that designers have much more to contribute than being developer-wannabes that your comment might imply.

That said, I agree with the rest of what you said! There are lots of designers out there who want a chance to practice their skills, and I encourage everyone to at least get your project design critiqued!

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

#102
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…

Can you tell me more about how more whitespace makes design easier?

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

#103
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…

What I particularly like about IDEO is that they hire non designers. It's very possible to have a biologist, historian,and and a designer sitting at one table trying to come up with new concepts.

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

#104
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Not all of them have the same product sense of a good product manager[1]. However, as far as I can tell, the lines do get pretty blurry the more senior you become as a designer. You shift from tactical work to strategic work which can have a huge influence on the product.

[1] Conversely, a lot of product managers do not have the same UX sense of a good designer. My favorite PMs are ones that have a solid UX background.

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

#105
post #98
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 agree with the overall point that design is about more than looks, but my impression is that design as practiced by the IDEO / Stanford d.school / design thinking crowd is a quite different beast from what’s being taught inside most architecture schools. The former tries to distill design into a largely linear, repeatable process (that can be peddled by consultants, if I’m being a bit cynical), the latter would cha…

Consultant here! Design is taught as a holistic process. I have not seen "largely linear" in a decade. It is complex, iterative and grounded in research. At least that is my experience and how I have seen it taught. YMMV.

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

#106
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Product, not project or program management.

Project and program management are detached from the skill set of both product manager and UX experts. One can have the skills, but it is not because they know product or UX.

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

#107
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

They said product management, IMHO an important distinction. Project management is managing the work, product management is shaping the product - again, IMHO.

Exactly.

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

#108
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…

I don't see how it's a justification to resist change any more than any other recommendation is inherently a justification to resist change that violates the recommendation.

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

#109
I went from software engineer to founder. As part of that journey I had to learn something about design since my co-founder didn't have that skill or interest.

My advice for founders: copy.

Find a design you like, brand colors you like, and just copy it exactly. Colors, shadows, spacing, layout. As long as it is an established brand/company, the UX will be good enough that it won't harm your startup. And that's all you are going for initially: a design that doesn't turn customers away.

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

#110
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Not all of them have the same product sense of a good product manager[1]. However, as far as I can tell, the lines do get pretty blurry the more senior you become as a designer. You shift from tactical work to strategic work which can have a huge influence on the product. [1] Conversely, a lot of product managers do not have the same UX sense of a good designer. My favorite PMs are ones that have a solid UX backgroun…

Yeah, true. Lucky for everyone both UX skills and product skills can be taught. Otherwise we'd have no hope and a sea of disjointed unusable products.

Product management and UX get pretty blurry (positively) when product management wants to generate value to customers by listening to them/distilling what users want into a good strategy that meshes with the business.

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