We have both experienced the frustration of being asked to sign off on our designs only to find that either a small part of the project or a large chunk have not been developed as we had intended. In this episode of design life we discuss how to tackle implementation issues between design and development so that company goals are achieved on schedule and within budget.
If you don’t involve your engineer in the design process, be prepared to run into some issues when you present your design. It is really important to involve your engineer throughout the design process. Show them the updates to the design as often as you can. Discuss implementation and ask if they foresee any problems in the design.
Know when to push for your design to be implemented as you intended and know when to trust your engineer. If your engineer says they can’t do something, ask them why. Understanding their reasoning can help you to develop your skill and understanding. As a designer, you can do the same. We can help teach each other when we explain our decisions in this way.
Communicate the flexibility of your design with your developer. Pick your battles. Remind them when designs have some flexibility and when they need to be implemented as close to the design as possible.
1.20 – Catch up
6.11 – Today’s topic
11.30 – Scoping and technical limitations
19.12 – Talk to your engineer
26.36 – Development’s influence on design
