The magicians of UX: how developers keep up with tech trends

It’s no secret that a developer’s work relies on technology. But the thing with technology is that it changes daily. Staying up to date with ever-changing tech languages and trends is a real challenge so let’s take a deeper look at how these user experience maestros keep up with this dynamic environment.

Front-end developers: the user experience magicians

Front-end (FE) developers are sometimes called magicians as they conjure up the user experience users will eventually enjoy. They are typically involved right from the start of a project to get to know the target user groups. They need a jump start to learn about the client and understand their goals and vision. Armed with that knowledge, they can help transfer those considerations to future users. FE’s take part in brand building by implementing the whole look and feel, starting from the colour palette and logos to how products and other elements convey the brand. They exist to represent the client and help them build a stronger brand.

“When the user visits our website or app, first impressions are crucial. What they see and how they interact with the site or app – that’s what a front-end developer excels in.”

Ana Brdovčak, senior front-end developer at Emakina.HR

For developers, teamwork is key

When building a product, every team member plays a crucial role. Every cog in this wheel is important and things wouldn’t work if everyone doesn’t work together. Designers and developers collaborate closely to build a user experience that will represent the brand.

UX and UI designers really understand how the human mind works and what the best practices are.  They create static images which developers then convert into dynamic pages to build the true user experience. This is something a developer has to keep in mind when building the story. The backend team implements the technology that best fits with client needs and works on business logic. Project managers are the bridge between the development team and the client.

When it comes to clients, developers have a key role in transferring the main idea. They finesse the process, narrate the client story, turn the designer’s images into a dynamic experience, and portray the business logic in a friendly and easy way. They help the client to give users what they want and need. A dev’s role is to cement this bond. We want users to become followers who will return to our site again and again – especially if the client has a webshop. We use technology and visual styles to bring across a client’s vision and to build the very best user experience.

Keeping up with ever-changing trends

It’s a must for developers to constantly upgrade their tech language skills by keeping an eye on the newest technologies and programming languages. One of the best ways to tap into trends is to give staff a chance to work on real projects. This way they meet their need for professional development but also test their skills.

Developers are part of sophisticated and complicated projects

The best way for a developer to deal with multiple challenges is to first identify where the problem lies. Is it something linked to the technology? A lack of knowledge? A lack of visibility on the project? Only with this information, is a developer able to analyse the situation and come up with the best solution. It’s important to marry the right technology to the desires and needs of the client. For this, a developer must have a good knowledge of available technology, weigh these up with the team and take client feedback into consideration to find the solution that is perfectly designed for the client.

“Technology moves fast, even daily. New trends and tools are popping up at lightspeed. Discussing the latest technologies and working on new ideas is what will give the client outstanding results.”

Ana Brdovčak, senior front-end developer at Emakina.HR