In Elixir Wizards Office Hours Episode 4, SmartLogic Product Designer Ava Slivkoff joins hosts Sundi Myint and Owen Bickford to discuss the product designer's role in software development. Ava shares her experience navigating client expectations, software design principles, and technical constraints.
They explore the integration of design and development workflows and how designers and engineers can collaborate to meet a project's specific needs. The conversation emphasizes the value of cross-functional teams and the synergy that can arise when all team members work in harmony to bring a product to life.
Key concepts discussed in the episode:
The broad scope of the designer role in web app development
The value of an MVP in the iterative software design process
Challenges of aligning client expectations with design best practices
Pros and cons of leveraging pre-built Tailwind CSS styled components
Trends and evolution in web design aesthetics and patterns
Leveraging open-source design systems like Tailwind UI
Balancing technical constraints with design aspirations
Communication and trust-building between designers and engineers
Workflows for design handoffs and feedback loops
Importance of user flows and mapping the product experience
Challenges around the implementation of complex UI elements
Benefits of regular design review meetings and syncs
Fostering empathy and collaboration across disciplines
Links mentioned
Figma Dev Mode https://www.figma.com/dev-mode/
Tailwind CSS utility-first CSS framework https://tailwindcss.com/
Tailwind UI https://tailwindui.com/
https://devinai.ai/
Special Guest: Ava Slivkoff.