Ideally, you want everyone to work together

[zakiyatasnim]

Palmer believes that having developers on the team from start to finish benefits everyone.

“People often think of digital design as a printing process,” he says. “You design something, you give it to a developer to make, and then they send it back to you. But that’s not the right sequence. Digital design is a living, breathing thing that evolves over time. Devices change, technology changes, people’s habits change, and so digital design changes. It’s a living organism.

from the beginning of the project. It’s a more iterative and enjoyable way to work. You do big batches of work, put your work out there, encourage people to use it, get feedback, and then spend another week mexico number data refining it. The alternative is a system where stuff is developed without technical review, it’s handed off to a developer to build, and the end result is not what everyone expected because there were big disagreements.”

Working iteratively with both designers and developers can be a big bonus for clients. Instead of waiting for the final product to be released, they can play with interactive prototypes at different stages of the project, getting a real-world impression of how the product functions.

“Even a low-quality prototype helps engage the customer,” says Cummins. “It’s important that they really understand the interaction.”

“We can’t just imagine things in our heads,” Palmer agrees. “You can interpret something as simple as scrolling a page in so many different ways.”

So, if it’s a good fit for the design process and helps engage clients, why aren’t integrated design and development teams the industry standard yet? Unfortunately, budgets often hold teams back.

“There’s this constant expectation that you can do things faster and better, and a lack of understanding of what it takes to create good design and development,” says Cummins. “This means that designers and developers are often pressured to come up with a minimum viable product in the shortest possible time.”

“Clients need to understand that creating great digital products takes time and continuous collaboration. It’s not a linear process,” Palmer says. “It’s a constant cycle. The sooner people accept that, the better.”