"Bridging the Gap Between Design and Development" - Act 01 - Scene 7 - Noelle Lansford

Noelle Lansford, a product designer and design systems expert, discusses the importance of having development knowledge for UI designers. She explains that while UX and UI are often combined in smaller teams, there is value in understanding the scientific aspects of UX and the code and development aspects of UI. Noelle emphasizes the benefits of having a general knowledge of UX, UI, and development as a product designer, as it allows for better collaboration with development teams and a deeper understanding of the development pipeline. She also shares her personal journey of being a designer and developer and the challenges she faced in balancing both roles. The conversation covered various topics related to the design and development industry, including the challenges of being proficient in both design and development, the importance of not losing sight of one's passion, the need for collaboration and communication between designers and developers, the role of designers in understanding technical constraints, and the question of whether designers should be embedded in development teams or in the business side of the company. The conversation also touched on the importance of designers delivering business value and the need for designers to wear multiple hats, including business negotiation and storytelling.

Takeaways:

• UX and UI are often combined in smaller teams, but understanding the scientific aspects of UX and the code and development aspects of UI is valuable.
• As a product designer, having a general knowledge of UX, UI, and development allows for better collaboration with development teams and a deeper understanding of the development pipeline.
• Knowing development knowledge as a UI designer helps communicate effectively with developers, understand the scope, and avoid scope bloat.
• Designers with development knowledge can bridge the gap between design and development, resulting in better collaboration and more accurate design implementation.
• Balancing both design and development roles can be challenging, but proficiency in both can open up opportunities and lead to a deeper understanding of the design and development process. Don't lose sight of your passion while trying to excel in both.
• Collaboration and communication between designers and developers are crucial for successful projects.
• Designers should understand technical constraints and work closely with developers to create feasible designs.
• The question of whether designers should be embedded in development teams or in the business side of the company depends on the organization and the specific project.
• Designers should focus on delivering business value and be willing to wear multiple hats, including business negotiation and storytelling.

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