Things to Keep in Mind When Designing a Product for Developers

A lot of what developers and designers do can seem so different from each other that it's all too easy to mistake they are all individuals with their own strengths, weakness, and unique skill set. Some designers venture into coding that compliments their design to provide a better user experience. The lines between developing and designing software solutions are blurring all the time.

However, that doesn't mean they are one and the same. It can be challenging for UI 8 UX designers to come up with a solution that best compliments the needs of a developer. Let's look into some of the challenges and considerations...

Target Audience

You need to have a clear idea of your target audience to design an effective solution that enhances their productivity. Software developers come in all shapes and size with their own area of expertise. They are not just an all-in-one breed who can do anything and everything. There are all kinds of developers such as front-end developers, back-end developers, ecommerce CRM developers, full-stack developers, mobile developers, and so many more.

So, no matter if you are designing CRM, debugging, or framework solution if it doesn't do what's it's supposed to then it's not doing anyone any good, is it? Your solution should be able to help them resolve a situation as fast as possible cutting down any unnecessary complexities. This brings us to the next point.

Keeping It Simple

It's so easy to be mystified by their "developer' title. Sometimes we forget they are only human. They want the simplest solution to tackle the problem just as much as the rest of us. Just because developers have a reputation for being smart problem solvers doesn't mean you can get away with not giving them a simple easy to use solution.

They expect and deserve simple solutions to their problems. If your product has a steep learning curve that takes away valuable time from their work, has functional flaws like slow app loading times, or even needlessly complicated user interfaces then you better believe they will look elsewhere. Similarly, if you design a beautifully stunning application that lacks in functionality then it's not helping them.

Getting User Feedback

Listening to your end-users i.e. the developers themselves can prove to be invaluable. They know what they want and can help you improve your solutions with valuable feedback. Doing market research can go a long way towards catering to their needs. You can start closer by getting in touch with your friends who are developers, coworkers, business associates, and expand on the feedback from there.

If anything, developers are more open to trying out new tools if it seems intuitive and worthwhile. If there are no developers in your circle of friends, try a friend of friends, or get on to the Internet for testers to evaluate your product. Ultimately, a product with a clunky dysfunctional user interface and user experience will drive away most of your audience. It can be the difference between making or breaking your product. User feedback is essential to your success.

Conclusion

For some of us, collaborating with developers might be akin to exploring uncharted territories, but rest assured at the end of the day, they are just consumers and users themselves who just want a simple solution that addresses their challenges. If you ventured into coding, I'm sure you can somewhat relate. Your product should be intuitive and functional! So, by keeping it simple, gathering valuable user feedback, and doing thorough product research you can design the ideal solution for developers.