designer-developer-collaboration-in-OSS

A repository for the USABLE TOOLS resource that focuses on how OSS tools team developers collaborate with designers and how these roles can work best together openly on open tools.

Find the transcript of the episode here

Find the episode audio here including the show notes and related links.

Future topics to discuss on a podcast on Design & Developer collaboration

1. Where does the designer-developer handoff begin in your opinion?

2. Without naming names, talk about a challenge you faced regarding des-dev handoff and what you learned from it.

3. We've used the word 'hand-off' but does that narrative need to change? Should hand-off be more like of a 'hands together'?

4. Any tips and tricks for des-dev communication?

5. Do you have an example of when des-dev collaboration has worked really well? What does the easiest design spec you've worked from look like? Which collaboration method with designers do you prefer as you work through implementation?

6. What (if anything) is unique in the designer/developer handoff process within open source teams compared to private software projects?

7. What are your go-to tools? Please tell us about your collaboration toolset. (Ex: how you structure Figma files & Gitlab tickets. Or other setups you're using to stay organized and track progress) Any tips or tricks that other open source teams can benefit from?

8. Have you had any internal discussions about des-dev handoff?

9. What is the current des-dev handoff conversation missing?

10. What do you want designers to know? and vice versa - what have you learned that designers want you to know?

11. How do you navigate a situation with your design/dev team when a technical complication/complexity calls for a need to adjust or drastically change the design? Share which strategies have worked well. (Note: These could be situations where you realize the design can't be implemented in a way that is in the spec, or there's a new design requirement based on a complexity discovered)

12. What does the easiest brief you've worked from look like? Which collaboration methods with developers do you prefer as you work through a design?

13. What kind of 'design' are developers most used to working with designers on and what other kinds of design is missing from a good design and developer collaboration?

14. What impact does a design and developer relationship to collaboration have when done well? what about when it doesn't go so well? Creating components/symbols, styles, and shared libraries - what works here?

15. Accessibility of design when working with developers, what missing here or what commonly happens? How are you navigating the need to handle dark mode, accessibility optimizations, and other 'potentially extra' topics that require design and functional implementation?

16. Within security, privacy and human-rights centred design practices, what would you like designers to know about dev processes here? What can developers learn and experience from design practices that encompass human rights concerns?

17. How does des-dev handoff work in your team and how did you get to doing it that way? (follow up Q to the open source vs private projects)

18. What do you hope for in the future?

19. How has the way you do handoff changed from the beginning of your career until now?

20. In your opinion, how much more do funders need to invest in time to optimize the handoff and collaboration methods between designers and developers in open source software?