Diving into Design as A Developer
Tags: design, career, startup, beginners
Published: 2020-02-12 04:44:46

# Introduction
As I learn more about software development & startup, I start to see the need to learn about design because without it. A lot of tasks in your work for either the front-end or back-end. Allows you to appreciate the thought process and general overview of solving a problem.

Sure we might not be following the playbook of solid design principles or design patterns or other software engineering architectures to implement software.

Having a good understanding of design principles and user experience knowledge allows you to develop product or services with better user experience. Instead of just being a code monkey that is just a commodity to create software.

# Why Design Matters?
Design matters because you are involved in implementing the software as a product or service. Which could range from 3 months to 5 years based upon the project specification requirements, budget & scale of the project. Therefore by understanding design principles, user experience design plus how to build a prototype.

It allows you to negotiate or find ways on what could be built to achieve the same intended user experience. Before using your software development skills to build it out in real life. 

I believe understanding design helps one to become a better software developer. As designs stretch the limits of imagination and engineering practices if you look at history.

Due to circumstances surrounding the endeavour combined with the relentlessness of those engineering team. We turn an impossible idea into a design and finally translating it into products like the Military Jeep during WWII, V8 Engine, Ford Mark IV, Apple II, Tesla, Uber & Tik Tok.

# I'm Bad at Design
I'm actually quite guilty in it myself because all along when I think about design skills you either are born with it or your not. 

But nothing was further from the truth. As you look at colour theory, design systems, design pattern, design thinking, lean startup, jobs to be done, design sprint & even books like Steve Job's biography or Creative Inc about Pixar studio. 

You understand that there are actually methodologies, steps or scientific processes to design a product. That conveys a story, to solve a problem cleverly or to change a user's behaviour that we become addicted to using it like Slack, Facebook, Spotify or Tik Tok.
 
# Conclusion
I believe that you had learnt about the importance of design.
Besides being a common topic to chat with your designer to build products or service with a user experience that your users will continue to use it. 

I would challenge you to dive straight into different areas of product development like design thinking, design system, jobs to be done or lean startup. This could even be studying colour theory or assessability design to develop product or services to deliver value for your users as a developer.

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The original post was on [Diving into Design as A Developer - Reading Time:  3 Mins](https://www.maxongzb.com/diving-into-design-as-a-developer-reading-time-3-mins/) and cover image by [Krisztian Tabori on Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/IyaNci0CyRk)

# Reference
* [Intro to the Design of Everyday Things][1]
* [Clay Christensen: The "Job" of a McDonald's Milkshake][2]
* [Design Sprint Book][3]
* [Hooked Book][4]
* [Design Systems Handbook][5]
* [Steve Jobs Walter Isaacson][6]
* [Gary Simon - Coursetro][7]
* [Figma][8]


[1]: https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-the-design-of-everyday-things--design101
[2]: https://youtu.be/Stc0beAxavY
[3]: https://www.thesprintbook.com/
[4]: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hooked-Guide-Building-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/1494277530
[5]: https://www.designbetter.co/design-systems-handbook
[6]: https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537
[7]: https://coursetro.com/
[8]: https://www.figma.com/