How to Write UX Specs That Make

Developers SwoonCaroline Sober-James

@wildwend

A little about me.

Passionate about UX for over 12 years

Server-side software developer for eight years

Currently Lead UX Designer at Acumium

“The Tale of the Warring Contractors”

We should be rocking this.

Interdependent, critical roles

Both working toward the same end product

Both passionate about the work

So…why are we not?Collaboration is spotty…or not happening

Relationships get antagonistic

CYA and finger-pointing

Oh hai, underside of the bus…

How to Write UX Specs That Make

Developers SwoonCaroline Sober-James

@wildwend

Be a UX Designer Who Makes

The Official Spectrum of Designer/Developer Synergistic Nirvana.

Can’t stand the sight of their stupid dumb face

Fist bumps over pizza and beer!

This is good.We want this.

Let’s move further this way.

Let’s clarify the problem.

“They just don’t get it.”

From the mouths of developers…“Designers don’t understand the complexities that developers run into.” - Nate

“I find…designers fail to take into account interactions with different UI elements.” - James

“For me, it’s keywords I see in requirements. Things like ‘better,’ ‘faster,’ ‘more efficient,’ and ‘easier to use’ are red flags it’s not baked enough.” - Justin

“…Think about all the possible cases and either design them or describe the minor changes to accommodate them.” - Dan

“Exceptions need to be considered. Error states are a common example.” – Aaron “…Just understanding that there are multiple ways to do things and being open to discussing those options is always helpful. ‘Just do it’ may work for Nike but not for devs.” – Scott

What if we don’t fix it?

Crabby people

Increased costs

At-risk schedules

Reduced quality

Extra development cycles

Project inefficiencies

How do you start?Put your ego on the shelf

Swallow your pride

Focus on the big picture (the end product, the

customers)

Understanding.Trust.

Empathy.Respect.

Understanding.Communication…and plenty of it

Ask questions

Plan and retro

Proximity helps

Ask them for help

Compromise

Stay available

Consult with and inform them

Trust.

It follows understanding

Find out what you don’t know

Know a little about code

Empathy.

Relieve the baggage

Ensure they have what they need

Respect.

Recap: What’s in your toolkit?

Questions to askWhat do you wish I knew about what you do?

What do you need from me to be successful?

What could I do tomorrow to help us work better together?

What worked well with what I provided you? What didn’t?

What are pain points you have you think I could help with?

What was the most effective thing I did to help you be successful on that project?

What do you want me to keep doing?

Things to rememberDesign the user experience you want the devs to have working with you

Developers care just as much about their code as you do about your design

Their “love language” is tons of detail

Neither of your jobs are harder; they’re just hard in different ways

They’re trying to produce the best possible outcome, too

They are responsible and accountable for the entire system, of which the application of your design is just one part

Being brought in late to projects on an ongoing basiswould irritate the crap out of you, too

Things to doProvide robust detail in your specs

Stay available, either in communication or proximity (or both)

Talk to your developer before the project about what they need

Talk to them after the project about how well you provided what they needed, and what you could do better next time

Ask them to do a sanity check on your work, ideally before the client even sees it

Be prepared to compromise, and defer to their technical judgment

Ask them for help. Even if you don’t implement their suggested solution, the ask is impactful

Design advocate

Proactive ally

Dedicated and persistent problem-solver

New friend, maybe?

Your efforts, rewarded.

Thank you.

Caroline Sober-JamesLead User Experience Designer,

Acumium

www.acumium.com | blog.acumium.com