Call it a dynamic duo, a one-two punch, a dream team, either way the collaboration between UX designers and developers is critical to the success of any web application. It goes beyond the realms of creative and technical to craft experiences that tap into the power of visual communication to enhance functionality.
At Alipes, we have creatives and developers in-house. In the past, they were often viewed as two distinct stages in the web development process. Designers create the vision with stunning interfaces with a focus on the user experience (internally we lovingly refer to them as “Userfaces” - you heard it here first!). Developers then bring these designs to life through code. However, to break down these silos, we bridge our gap by having our designers understand (not master) the world of code, and our developers recognize (not master) design aesthetics.
Designers and developers share a mission, to create the best possible user experience that matches the client's needs. They are partners and collaborators and also yin and yang, complementary, interconnected, and interdependent. Through their individual expertise and solid communication, the shared vision becomes a reality.
Over time they develop their own language (we are penciling in “Techsthetica” as a name for that one!) to appreciate both technical constraints and design integrity. At Alipes, we like to use prototyping to help bridge the gap as well. It allows us to offer a tangible representation of user flows and interactions while simultaneously showcasing the feasibility and efficiency of the designs. We also pride ourselves on our own research and development (R&D) chops, embracing new technologies along the way while cutting through some of the clutter fads.
It's actually part of our DNA, internally we run an agile process system, one that enables constant collaboration and iteration. We have daily scrum meetings, weekly sprints, and regular retrospectives that creates an environment where strategists, developers, and designers work in tandem to deliver business outcomes for our clients.
Drop us a line to hear more about our agile methodology, our integrated UX mindset, or simply learn about the exciting world of prototyping! We love to chat, and this is a favorite topic. Connect with us here.