How to Bridge the Gap Between Web Designing and Development?

Designs are important to make a strong online presence. Graphic designers and web designers both work together to make it happen, although their roles are seen as separate.

Graphic designers work on aesthetics and visual web elements, such as layout, logos, typography, color theory, and illustrations. Conversely, web developers bring these designs to life via coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

The difference in the duties of both parties brings a gap between their work. Graphic designers focus on artistic expressions, while web developers focus on usability and responsiveness.

So, what are the strategies to bridge the gap between the designers and developers? What are some practical tips and tricks? Read this detailed guide to learn about it!

Collaborate in Early Stages

Designs are prepared first so the developers’ team can start working on the project. 

Most of the time, miscommunication happens exactly in this phase. While designers focus on making the design look good, developers want it to work. 

To make everything flow well, bring in the developers during the designing phase. 

There are many advantages to involving the developers in the design phases:

1. They can attend meetings with clients.
2. They can point out technical challenges.
3. They can suggest ideas to make a design better and more practical.
4. And the list goes on.

The key advantage of this collaboration is to identify potential usability issues. 

Designers always focus more on the visual side of the project. On the other hand, developers focus on functionality and user experience. 

So, if a designer uses an animation or layout that looks good but is resource-intensive, developers can pinpoint it. They can even discuss and choose something that is the right balance between aesthetics and performance. 

This avoids last-minute changes and helps the team move faster. When everyone is on the same page from the start, the process becomes easier.

Have Meetings, Meetings, and Meetings

Have a lot of meetings. This is the second-best strategy to bridge the design-related gap between designers and developers. 

If collaboration isn’t possible, or possible but you want to take things to the next level, regular meetings are the solution. More meetings mean better understanding. 

As mentioned earlier, designers and developers have different priorities. When both teams sit together and share their sides, it helps them find a common ground. 

The best approach? Cross-team participation. 

Ask designers to join developers’ sprint meetings to see how their designs are being used and highlight any challenges. Likewise, invite developers to design review sessions so they can understand the reasons behind design choices.

Meetings can even be made more structured with clear agendas and objectives. For example, to review a specific design, its implementations, and technical requirements. 

Design with Development in Mind, and Vice Versa

While the jobs of designers and developers are different, they overlap to some extent. Therefore, it becomes much more effective if both know the basics of each other’s work. 

If these are designers, they can (and should) learn about:

1. How responsive design works 
2. Basics of browser compatibility 
3. Basics of coding languages
4. Other development-related aspects

They can also learn to create reusable design systems with consistent color palettes and typography to make it easier for developers to implement.

It doesn’t mean that designers need to become coding experts. Instead, knowing how designs are turned into code helps them create practical solutions.

Pretty much the same goes for web developers. 

Web developers should know about the design-related aspects, such as:

1. Visual hierarchy
2. Grid systems
3. Color psychology
4. Typography
5. Layout principles 

These aspects help developers make more informed decisions to translate designs into code. 

For example, if a particular font is unavailable, a developer with design knowledge can choose a similar alternative that maintains the overall aesthetic.

Provide Detailed Handoffs

A detailed yet clear handoff is key to transit design to a developed website. 

When designers create a handoff, they should organize and label each PSD file. This plays a key role in smoothly converting a design into working HTML without any delays.  

Each element in the design, such as color, dimensions, font, or interactions, should be clearly mentioned. For example, it makes it easier for developers to replicate the design when you specify the exact padding and margin for a button. 

It is also important to organize assets properly. The best trick here is to properly name and organize files, including images, icons, and fonts. 

For example, say “Login Button” or “Header Background” instead of “Layer 1” or “Button 2”—descriptive names are the key.  This eases developer’s ability to find and use the necessary assets.

Suppose the handoff is ready and sent to the developer, and they find something confusing. In such a case, the designer and developer must discuss and address any questions. 

For example, if a developer is unsure how a hover state should look, they can clarify it with the designer before implementing it.

Know Using the Right Color

The right color in web design and development brings appeal to a website. 

Designers use various color systems, including RGB for digital displays or CMYK for printed. On the other hand, developers typically have to use HEX values to apply these colors in the code. If not handled correctly, this distinction can cause confusion.

The solution? Designers ought to specify the color codes in a form developers can use.

For example, giving developers both HEX and RGB values makes it easy for them to integrate the colors without any confusion or change in the original color.

For this, developers can use CMYK to HEX converter for easy color code conversion. All they need is to input the CMYK color code into the tool and get a HEX value in a second or two. 

Furthermore, developers need knowledge of how color selections affect user experience.

Using high contrast between text and background, for example, improves legibility. Consistent use of brand colors all over the website supports brand identity.

Knowing design tools like Figma or Adobe XD is also beneficial for developers. These tools give quick access to color codes, therefore simplifying the process.

Conclusion

Do you want to create a functional web design? If so, the rule of thumb here is to bridge the gap between graphic designers and web developers. 

Both teams should collaborate early on to help understand each other’s needs and avoid problems later. 

The best practice here is regular meetings to better share ideas and solve issues together. 

Designers should learn basic coding concepts and developers should know design principles to better understand and work with each other. 

Clear and organized handoffs with proper labels and details are also important. They make it easier for developers to follow designs.