Bridging the Gap Between Design and Development
A New Series Launch by Department Six
The world of digital product creation often feels like two parallel universes — one where designers craft stunning interfaces and the other where developers build robust, scalable systems. While each team excels in its own domain, the disconnect between design and development can hinder innovation, waste resources, and compromise user experiences.
Our new six-part series explores how to bridge the gap, fostering a seamless collaboration between design and development teams. Whether you’re a product manager, UX designer or front-end developer, this series is designed to equip you with practical strategies to create cohesive, high-performing teams that deliver exceptional digital products.
Launching soon! Stay tuned as we dive into the tools, techniques, and strategies shaping the future of design and development collaboration. Subscribe now to be the first to know when the series goes live!
What You Can Expect
1. The Great Divide: Understanding the Gap Between Design and Development
What we’ll focus on:
The common challenges that arise from siloed workflows.
The impact of these gaps on project timelines, budgets, and user experiences.
When collaboration goes wrong (and how to fix it).
What you’ll learn:
Why silos persist in modern teams.
The cost of poor collaboration.
The first steps towards building a culture of integration.
2. Tools of the Trade: Bridging the Gap With the Right Technology
What we’ll focus on:
Review the best tools for design-to-development collaboration (e.g., Figma, Zeplin, Storybook).
How technology facilitates better communication, handoffs, and iteration.
What you’ll learn:
Must-have tools for design-dev collaboration.
How to optimise tool adoption across teams.
Tips for integrating new tools without disrupting workflows.
3. Collaboration Starts Early: Embedding Developers in the Design Process
What we’ll focus on:
The value of involving developers from the start of the design phase.
How early collaboration prevents costly design changes and technical constraints.
What you’ll learn:
Practical ways to embed developers into discovery and ideation phases.
Benefits of co-creation: Aligning on feasibility and innovation.
Techniques for designers to communicate their vision effectively.
4. Building a Shared Language: Improving Communication Across Teams
What we’ll focus on:
The language barrier between design and development.
Tips for translating design concepts into actionable development tasks (and vice versa).
What you’ll learn:
Strategies for establishing a shared glossary of terms.
How to run effective design-to-development handoff meetings.
How to create continuous feedback loops between teams.
5. Agile in Action: Aligning Design and Development in Iterative Workflows
What we’ll focus on:
How Agile methodologies can enhance collaboration between designers and developers.
Techniques like dual-track agile and cross-functional team structures.
What you’ll learn:
How Agile principles improve team alignment.
Tips for managing sprint planning when design and dev timelines don’t sync perfectly.
6. Future-Ready Teams: How Collaboration Shapes Tomorrow’s Digital Products
What we’ll focus on:
How integrated design and development workflows will evolve.
The role of AI, automation, and remote work in fostering collaboration.
Future-proofing processes.
What you’ll learn:
What’s next for design-dev collaboration.
How emerging technologies and trends will influence workflows.
Actionable steps to future-proof your team’s approach.
Want to bridge the gap between your design and development teams? Let’s chat about how we can transform your workflows and supercharge your digital products.