Andrew Powell

In the past year, I've been witness to a dramatic shift in how we deliver solutions to our clients.  I have to admit that the full impact of it has caught me a bit off-guard.  It used to be that technology blazed the trail and design was something that was tacked on later in the process, almost an afterthought (pixie dust, if you will).  The shift has been seen in that now design leads, and technology supports that design.  It's the difference between night and day when you really stop and think about it.  It's no less than a complete thought shift from how we, as a community have previously developed applications.

As we focus on the story that the client is trying to tell with their applications, this has to be this natural progression.  The story at hand is best told by the right combination of art & science.  It's not to say that technology becomes an afterthought.  It's actually quite the opposite.  If we are becoming addicted to sexy design and experiences, then technology is our enabler.  Technology is the key player that empowers these nifty designs to be the engaging experiences that they are.  

Innovation doesn't come purely from the technology being used.  This statement is hard for a lot of developers to swallow, so let's think about it just a little bit and not just glaze over it.  New interactions spur innovation.  Cutting edge designs spur innovation.  It's the place of the technology team to take up the challenge and make those interactions & design realities.  What is needed is a design team that has an intimate relationship with the technology team.  These teams have to know and trust each other so that they can continue to push the envelope of innovation together.    Design and technology absolutely cannot and will not function in an "us vs. them" mentality.  Together we innovate, divided, we imitate.

This is like any other relationship, it takes work.  It takes communication that is open and honest.  The technology team, absolutely, has to have some input into the design process.  At the same time, however, the technology team has to have faith that the design team will deliver something that will challenge them to push their skills further.  Open communication between the two teams throughout the design and development process will produce the most satisfying interpretation of the story that the client is trying to tell.  It does take a team, a fully engaged, and communicating team to turn vision into reality.