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UIE Virtual Seminar Presentation

Comps vs. Code: Case Studies on Collaboration Between Site Designers & Developers

We’re like ships passing in the night. It’s not me, it’s you. Can’t we still be friends? When the pressure is on, this is how the work relationship between designer and developer can feel. So, whether you’re a designer, a developer, or someone who manages either, consider this: You may want some couples’ therapy to help deliver effective, two-way communication on your projects.

Watch this 3-minute preview from Ethan, or read more about his presentation.

Why Couples Therapy for Designers and Developers?

We often use a conveyor belt method to manage products. Designers do their work up front, then “hand off” their creation expecting it can be built and won’t change. Then the Developers need to create something they’ve previously had little involvement with. It’s critical that these transition phases be a two-way channel, and not the closing of a door.

The detail of what works might be specific to your team, but in the end, our research shows that communication is what makes great teams work. Successful projects are built around the involvement and engagement of all parties at every phase of the project. How do you facilitate this? Bring everyone, including designers, developers, and stakeholders into the earliest discussions. Involve team members in solving problems that you encounter. Hold reviews after every phase during the project.

In this popular presentation, Ethan Marcotte teaches about the collaborative process through four detailed case studies. The case studies demonstrate important before and after detail of the lesson to be learned. They also happen to be major sites you know of and can visit today: The Today Show, The 2008 Sundance Film Festival, W3C, and New York Magazine.

Through these case studies, Ethan will show you:

• The value of building in time to review deliverables at the end of each phase
• The importance of reviewing components such as artwork and templates with your developer during the design phase
• Why lightweight prototyping is helpful and should not be feared
• Why you should formalize this collaboration, but also why you should tailor your own team’s needs

If you're a designer, a developer, or manage a team, you'll want to see this presentation. Ethan will show you ways to be successful in critical project transitions. Register today to save your spot, and remember to include the archive so your team can have lifetime access to a recording they can watch whenever they want, as often as they want.

Why Ethan Marcotte?

There’s no better person to see both sides of the designer/developer relationship than Ethan Marcotte. Many in our industry greatly respect him and consider him to be someone who does groundbreaking work. Ethan has worked with New York Magazine, Harvard University, Disney, and State Street Bank, just to name a few.

Ethan describes himself as a “designer/developer” hybrid. With talents in both disciplines, he’s seen it all, and can relate to the challenges that exist at every phase of a project. This is why we’re asking Ethan to give an updated version of this popular talk from such conferences as An Event Apart and AIGA’s In Control.

Ethan Marcotte is a web designer/developer living in Cambridge, MA and works for Airbag Industries as a Senior Designer. He co-authored the third edition of Designing With Web Standards with Jeffrey Zeldman and worked with Dan Cederholm on their new book, Handcrafted CSS: More Bulletproof Web Design. Ethan is passionate about web standards, gorgeous design, and how the two intersect. You can follow Ethan on his blog and personal website, Unstoppable Robot Ninja.

For solid insight you can put to use right away, register today!

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