

Designer/Programmer Harmony: Not Just a Myth - omgsean
http://factore.ca/on-the-floor/22-designer-programmer-harmony-not-just-a-myth

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whiskeyjack
This is a difficult dynamic to manage and depends really heavily on the
designer and programmer involved, how good they actually are and how much they
credit the others expertise.

I've worked on projects at one job with a designer that was top notch. He knew
and understood the medium despite having started as a print designer. As he
did with print, where he learned about the pre-press process, he made sure he
learned about the web, usability and understood HTML and CSS. What a joy it
was to work with him. His designs were beautiful and understood usability
without sacrificing appearance. He's gone on to do independant work and now
makes double what I do. Good on him.

Then there's the other side. I've worked with another designer who thinks
design exists in a silo, refuses to learn anything about the medium and has
very firm (and misguided) ideas about usability. They see no point in
involving a programmer in the design phase because the programmer is just
supposed to make things work and doesn't understand design. They have learned
nothing about the web and feel learning HTML or CSS dilutes their focus; any
designer that does know these things is looked down upon because they're
spreading the attention to far and will make a poor designer.

Programmers can make it hard on a designer, even good ones, and we shouldn't.
This is the most valuable working relationship you can form in my opinion.

If you find one of the former, hold on to them like they are the only life
preserver in the ocean. If one of the latter, run like hell. There are, of
course, many skill/knowledge levels in between but it really makes me
appreciate it when I have a good one to work with.

