Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#1

Post by ttpva » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:16 PM UTC

Hiring a designer is a premature optimization
tbbuck.com

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#2

Post by incomethax » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:27 PM UTC

In my experience a designer isn't as much useful for simple designs or "look and feel" so much as the design process helps you along product-market fit. When my co-founder and I started building our company, we made sure we followed the process of user-centric design and took wireframes and mockups and photoshop files to our customers well before we even started coding.

We would have completely missed our market if we had just jumped into coding before going after design. In that sense, I think if you don't have the designer chops, hiring a designer to get the good looking wireframes/mockups/etc to start doing customer validation is crucial - probably even more so than the code.

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#3

Post by egze » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:31 PM UTC

I disagree. If you just focus on coding, you will miss key usability issues that a good designer wouldn't miss.

In the end when you do hire a designer, you will have to rewrite a lot of your code to fix these issues.

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#4

Post by tuhin » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:35 PM UTC

So essentially using a similar logic, if I am a designer, I am better off using a scripting tool to make Facebook Clone than hire a developer?

I know this comes off as an arrogant comment but I am drawing the logic straight from your arguments here.

A developer cannot design so the best option they have is to use templates of design created with no clear audience, and goal other than probably looking good (which is not in the least way what design is about).

Similarly, then if I am a designer then I should just use free scripts that let me make a social networking clone or delicious clone for my next project, right?

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#5

Post by earle » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:38 PM UTC

This makes no sense. A proper product lifecycle begins with design!

This is the fundamental reason why companies like Apple are so successful.

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#6

Post by endtwist » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:38 PM UTC

Bullshit of the highest order. If your only goal is to get a "pretty website" when you hire a designer, not only will you hire the wrong person, but you lose the benefits a good designer can provide. But sure, go ahead and buy that $50 template.

Find someone with familiarity in building good UIs, designing a consistent brand for your product, and making absolutely sure that your product's message comes through clear as day.

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#7

Post by mootothemax » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:39 PM UTC

egze wrote: post #3

I disagree. If you just focus on coding, you will miss key usability issues that a good designer wouldn't miss. In the end when you do hire a designer, you will have to rewrite a lot of your code to fix these issues.

I disagree. If you just focus on coding, you will miss key usability issues that a good designer wouldn't miss.

And if you hire a UX expert, undoubtedly you'll gain even more insight into usability. So what?

In the end when you do hire a designer, you will have to rewrite a lot of your code to fix these issues.

Why? I thought separation of logic and design was a near universal practise by now?

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#8

Post by jk8 » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:39 PM UTC

It makes sense when it comes to building web apps. I don't think it works when you are building an iOS app. Is there a site which sells iOS app themes?

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#9

Post by zaidf » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:40 PM UTC

earle wrote: post #5

This makes no sense. A proper product lifecycle begins with design! This is the fundamental reason why companies like Apple are so successful.

This makes no sense. A proper product lifecycle begins with design!

I agree.

This is the fundamental reason why companies like Apple are so successful.

I don't think citing the most extreme example helps your previous argument. It'd be better if you could say company x is successful because of design and yet company x's main specialty isn't design.

Re: Hiring a designer is a premature optimization

#10

Post by hennypenny » Wed, Sep 07, 2011, 2:41 PM UTC

tuhin wrote: post #4

So essentially using a similar logic, if I am a designer, I am better off using a scripting tool to make Facebook Clone than hire a developer? I know this comes off as an arrogant comment but I am drawing the logic straight from your arguments here. A developer cannot design so the best option they have is to use templates of design created with no clear audience, and goal other than probably looking good (which is n…

If you know how to use photoshop, you can design. You can make a website that works and that you can test with.

But if a designer knows nothing about code, knowing where to start and how to put the pieces together would be daunting. Coding has a very steep learning curve, whereas even amateurs can start designing right away.