How developers should help designers

Annotation: The designers mentioned in this article specifically refers to those non-fixed work place / remote work of designers

Specification / requirements document

Must know what you want

The hardest part of getting graphic design to the hands of developers is knowing what you want. And now there is a trend that is to say with the designer, "you just draw something." Of course they will do it, but the result is not necessarily what you really want. The demand is too vague development project you will not pick up, the designer is not stupid than you. So you must be willing to take the time to refine your needs, thus reducing the fuzzy space.

It can be helpful to give examples

If you are not extremely confident knowing that you want to be a god, then there are at least some of your likes and dislikes: just give some examples of what you like and do not like, and explain why you like it or not. Other people's works can give your designer a good reference. Listing likes and dislikes helps to outline what exactly you want (design).

Trust your designer

Clever people know to take advantage of the wisdom of others (to solve the problem), rather than alone to muddle through. Believe in your designer's ability and experience. Respect the designers, give them the freedom, they can give you help, and even inspire you, do not stick to the rules.

The meaning of casual drawing

It is because you can not make a good design, you will hire a real designer. If you are an ordinary developer, then you are a rotten designer without saying that you lack the ability to really grasp the visual arts. This is normal again. Even so, drawing whatever image you want on paper, no matter how rotten, is more useful than verbal description. Do not be afraid to paint very ugly, because it allows both sides have a starting point for the same concept will not run away.

Consider the problem with sample data

As a developer, you know for sure when you actually need what kind of data to manage to show. But designers do not know, unless you tell them, otherwise they will go with some random or common text (to fill in the design draft). It is best for developers to provide real / meaningful data from the very beginning, with special attention paid to the limits of the text, such as being particularly short or unusually long.

Determine the need for early blind change

Regardless of the price, you have to make sure that you have clearly defined all the requirements for your design work in the early stages, and for any job. Adding something later would not only bring about potentially unpredictable costs, but would also make it impossible to schedule the work and to destroy the work already done. As a developer, you certainly know the price of making last-minute changes to the brain - designers can not afford to hurt as well.

Keep in mind the design restrictions

Your designers will do their utmost to meet your needs, so those needs should be as accurate as possible - including what kind of restrictions. Screen size, screen orientation, usable fonts, color of the brand VI, space allowed for advertising, fixed elements, etc. Be sure to carefully consider your design requirements and ensure that the designer understands these limitations from the very beginning.

Reflect the professional place

Negative responsibility

From a financial and professional point of view, a proper response is a responsible attitude as the designer shows you his progress or asks you. Design should not be done after the development is complete, not even with development (but already done before development): Ideally, design and then specification documents go ahead and development. Take a moment to study well with your designer.

Do not assume the job is simple

The root cause of the tragedy of developers is that non-developers assume that development work is easy to get. Tweaking a function or changing how it works tends to change many elements rather than one, and we're going to explain why it's so complicated, and to explain how much it costs to do so. Design work is also bitter force. Focusing on a change is seen as a simple matter simply because it is a cosmetic adjustment that should be avoided.

Do not interfere with all the details

Your designer is doing a professional job, assessing how well their work is progressing in ways that assess the developer's job (code checking / how many lines are written / how many bugs have been fixed). Designers often have new ideas that take time to brain-fill, test, or sometimes think bad and return to previous designs to think otherwise.

Design work progress can not be measured by the scale of the evaluation code development, allowing them enough time to do creative work. After all the work is completed, designers can show you 100% completed work.

Use the same tool

Where possible, use the same tools as your designer - at the very least, do not clash with tool choices. For a professional designer, buy a genuine PS will not put you in bankruptcy, but also a wise investment, when the deadline is coming and your designer can not find, by yourself to add some design elements When, very useful. And the version of your tool can not be too old, this is the designer may not be able to work with you.

Use the same language to communicate

Just as the designer is obliged to hand over the cut from the design to your hands, you also have an obligation to explain to the designer your development efforts. If you have special requirements on the file name, please (you get the graphics resources) to get yourself. If you need a hexadecimal color code in your code, or if you want a percentage of each color in RGB, it's better to do it yourself, not to mess up the designer's brain. Do not use jargon outside of your job.

Allow designers to show your work to others

If your designer feels proud of the work, they will ask if you allow it to be listed in his "masterpiece." This is clearly something that should be allowed, which is a good promotion for both of you and for the establishment of mutual trust. It is also helpful when your designers are busy and you happen to have new design tasks to do (designers will recommend others to you).

Business considerations

pay in time

Pay your designer in time and have no excuses. The payment schedule should not be associated with the on-line date. When you are satisfied with the designer's job, settle the balance. Where possible, try to pay as soon as possible, not drag it to the end.

Can not condone the normative work

The norms and requirements of the job should be determined before the payment contract is signed. There are many sites that can submit your design requirements profile and your budget, designers will give you a demo of them. You can choose what you want, paid separately for him.

There is a very bad business approach that can bring devastating cups and this practice can even destroy the entire industry (which is very common in heaven and earth XD). That is, do not arbitrarily accept (those who recommend the site designer), but should be your own to fleshy your favorite designers and their work (which can be recommended by others, and then get their list of works), and finally Decided to sign the agreement, and then started.

Translator's Note: In some places, only a little understanding, forgive me, so this may be translated a little bit wrong XD

Understand (design industry) business model

In general, you will always receive a satisfactory design sample to meet your requirements (perhaps two or three), and you also have the right to make a few fine adjustments, these are included in the earlier costs. In addition to any other requirements are subject to additional charges. This is reasonable and normal, the real design industry is so working.

The solution to those extra charges is to eliminate the inconsequential additional requirements that do not exceed the earliest design requirements, as early as the exact requirements. So do not complain about this basic business model for the design industry or want the designer to work extra hours for you for free.

(Designed) source code to be charged separately

In most occasions, the final output of the development work is the source code of the app or website, the content and the final work is consistent, so developers sign the contract is the source of external sales. But the design industry is not the case.

The final deliverables for graphic design work are usually formats like PNG, EPS, PDF or JPG. The designer's work PSD, AI format files will not be included in the delivery of free products. To get these is to charge another. This is the usual practice in the design industry, you really need those you have to pay an additional fee.

Write in the end

As I said in my previous article, design and development are closely linked on both sides of the coin, all to deliver high-quality software products. Design and development professionals are both injected the same attention and effort, in order to make the project more effective.