---
type: podcast
authors:
  - alex-patterson
  - brittney-postma
episode: 8
recording_date: January 1, 2021
season: 1
published: published
podcast: CodingCat.dev
chapters_done: true
cloudinary_convert: false
cover: https://media.codingcat.dev/image/upload/main-codingcatdev-photo/pfjxk1aiesrme14tbrcr.png
devto: https://dev.to/codingcatdev/1-8-design-for-developers-4hck
excerpt: Are you struggling to become a designer for web development? You don''t need formal web development training to be successful. Learn from the design group at OST how each of them found a path into design, coming from several different backgrounds.
guests:
  - christy-ennis-kloote
  - zoe-wilson
  - elizabeth-bush
hashnode: https://hashnode.codingcat.dev/podcast-1-8-design-for-developers
picks:
  [
    {
      author: 'alex-patterson',
      name: "Config: Figma's Annual Conference",
      site: 'https://config.figma.com/'
    },
    {
      author: 'brittney-postma',
      name: 'Adobe Wire Frame Podcast',
      site: 'https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wireframe/id1437677219'
    },
    {
      author: 'brittney-postma',
      name: 'Sackboy (game)',
      site: 'https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/sackboy-a-big-adventure/'
    },
    {
      author: 'christy-ennis-kloote',
      name: 'Peter Merholtz & JessieJames Garret – Finding our way (podcast)',
      site: 'https://findingourway.design/'
    },
    {
      author: 'christy-ennis-kloote',
      name: 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less',
      site: 'https://a.co/d/c6EyVqP'
    },
    {
      author: 'zoe-wilson',
      name: 'The Design Better Podcast',
      site: 'https://www.designbetter.co/podcast'
    },
    { author: 'zoe-wilson', name: 'Headspace (app)', site: 'https://www.headspace.com/focus-mode' },
    {
      author: 'elizabeth-bush',
      name: 'Squads - the global full-stack development community',
      site: 'https://squads.com/'
    }
  ]
slug: 1-8-design-for-developers
spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2bb8DGGAbf6VEKxpVxunQ5?si=_vnM7Q-BS1m0_pQO-JPdBg
start: January 1, 2021
title: Design for Developers
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-S7YemZW2s
---

## Questions

1. I noticed you studied Industrial design. How did you find your way to UX or Interaction design?
1. From the team to the community, are there patterns you see in each?
1. Opinions on education paths…bootcamps vs. institutions vs. workshops.master’s programs
1. Do you need formal education around UX/UI?
1. What advice would you give to others coming out of school and how to get started into the design side of a web development practice?
1. Resources, tools?
1. If someone not going to school wants to get started, how do you get in the door first?
1. Networking – reaching out to people you admire
1. Soft Skills (importance of consulting and speaking skills)
1. Where does your community hang out? Especially after 2020?
1. Meeting community where they platform
1. Why do people thrive in communities?
1. What communities exist or are accessible? `Clubhouse, Meet ups (local and online), AIGA, IxDA Community events (Code for Good / Givecamp, Global Service Design Jam, Courses / Co-Learning) / Ladies of UX /`
1. What should a designer learn today? `Attitude & aptitude – curiosity & willingness to learn Mentor / find leaders to learn from Online, self-driven learning (courses, youtube, google)`
1. Tools? [Sketch](https://www.sketch.com/), [Figma](https://www.figma.com), [Miro](https://miro.com/), [Adobe Products](https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud.html)
1. Designers often work together and collaborate, how did this change in 2020?
1. At work? `Miro, drawing messy, white board type work.`
1. A developer can do the work, but often they need to be led down the path. Do you see this as a designers role, or more of an architect’s role?
1. Are mobile designers different from web designers? `(platform agnostic?) Multi-modal Physical Design, Interactive Points, how do you manage expectations.`
1. What is hardest about being a designer?
1. What is hard about getting started. `(Constraint, confidence & expression), non-stop pitching`
1. How can you be creative, but still need to work within a framework? `Constraints are helpful, Design systems`
1. What Physical devices are you using? `iPad / Wacom Tablet, Old school – Sticky notes / Whiteboard / sketchbook`
1. Where can designers get started on the side, for freelance work? [Dribbble](https://dribbble.com/), [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/), [Fiverr](https://www.fiverr.com/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/), [99designs](https://99designs.com/), [Awwwards](https://www.awwwards.com/)
