A quick guide to approach Product Design for Developers

Start from a feature, not a layout

Often, developers dive straight into designing layouts without clarifying what they intend to build. Starting with a clear understanding of the feature you want to create allows for better layout design later on. Begin by outlining the feature on paper, focusing on the essentials first. Design in grayscale initially to prioritize contrast and spacing, reserving decisions on colors and fonts for later iterations.

Choose a personality

Trust your intuition for the desired personality of your product. Alternatively, draw inspiration from competitors or similar products while ensuring uniqueness. Every design exudes personality, influenced by factors such as fonts, colors, border radius, and language.

• Fonts: Select serif, rounded sans serif, or neutral sans serif typefaces to convey elegance, playfulness, or simplicity, respectively.
• Colors: Blue signifies safety, gold implies sophistication, while pink adds a fun touch.
• Border radius: Small radius is neutral, large radius is playful, and no radius appears serious.
• Language: Choose words carefully as they contribute significantly to the overall user experience.

Implement Systems to Avoid Decision Fatigue

Approaching design with a system focused mindset will help you save a lot of time

Designing with a systematic approach saves time and reduces decision fatigue. Establish predefined options for elements such as font size, weight, line height, and color to streamline decision-making. Rather than endlessly tweaking individual design elements, adopt a set of constraints for consistent and efficient design choices.

By adopting these strategies, developers can streamline the product design process, leading to more coherent and user-friendly outcomes.

Reference: Refactoring UI