1. make it better
Designing, Technically
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On being a “technical” designer

2. make it better
Should designers know
how to code?
designing, technically
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3. make it better
Should designers code?
designing, technically
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4. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
make it better
The Upsides
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5. make it better
designing, technically
The Job Market
• “Highly proficent in building prototypes in HTML+CSS
+JavaScript.”
• “First, the individual will need a broad skill set that includes UI/
UX, visual design, and, ideally, frontend implementation in
HTML/CSS.”
• “Comfortable coding in HTML/CSS for responsive web and
email design”
• “UI/UX Designer and Front-end Engineer”
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6. make it better
designing, technically
Gauging Feasibility
• How long will this interface take to implement?
• Can we even add this feature to our existing system?
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7. make it better
designing, technically
Prototyping
• HTML prototypes can represent interaction better in tests
• Responsive prototyping
• Templating can make it faster and less tedious
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8. make it better
designing, technically
Chipping In
• Don’t send a design that’s impossible to code
• Get in there and close some tickets!
• Smaller teams == broader individual skill sets
• Inside jokes
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9. make it better
designing, technically
Creating Efficiencies
• Why pay two if one can do the job
• More consistent vision
• Less documentation
• Less “telephone”
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10. make it better
designing, technically
Understanding systems
• Interaction design usually implies interaction between:
• the user
• the system
• Real companies and processes are complex
• Underlying software very likely has inherent limitations
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11. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
make it better
The Downsides
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12. make it better
designing, technically
Unrealistic Expectations
• “UI/UX Designer and Front-end Engineer”
• You can’t be an expert at everything
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13. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
Some people can play the piano and the banjo,
make it better
but when they play them both at once it
sounds really crappy.
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Roger Belveal
http://www.quora.com/Why-dont-more-designers-code

14. make it better
designing, technically
UX is increasingly complex as it is
• More and more platforms to design for
• Users are less and less tolerant of poor UX
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thanks to Sagi Shrieber https://medium.com/@sagishrieber/why-designers-should-not-code-anymore-5fc3f7d5510d

15. make it better
designing, technically
It can change your thinking
• Conway’s Law
• “Implementation Model”
• Optimizing for the code vs. optimizing for the user
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thanks to Wayne Greenberg and Josh Seiden http://www.waynegreenwood.com/unicorn-shmunicorn-be-a-pegasus/

16. make it better
designing, technically
A threat to the profession
• The Great Unicorn Quest
• Devaluing “pure” design
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17. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
When you know the constraints of
your technologies, you can save
clients money and make your
make it better
developers happy.
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18. make it better
Technical Documentation
designing, technically
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19. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
The more technical you are, the less
make it better
documentation you need.
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20. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
If you are very technical, you can
provide insight to developers
make it better
in your documentation.
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21. make it better
What is helpful to know?
designing, technically
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22. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
make it better
Basic Markup
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23. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
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On-the-job Learning
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24. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
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Popular CMS’s
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25. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
Popular E-commerce Platforms
make it better
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26. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
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Mobile SDKs
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27. designing, technically tweet @skotcarruth
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Database Design
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28. make it better
How do I learn?
designing, technically
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29. make it better
designing, technically
Where to learn
• Pair with programmers (or ask for feedback)
• RTFM
• Treehouse, Lynda, Code School, Codeacademy
• GA
• Just play with stuff
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30. Questions?
internal only make it better