Ch. 5 - How Teams Can Get to Market 4x Faster with Automated Design-to-Development Causes of Friction in the Design-to- Development Handoff The design-to-development handoff sounds easier than it actually is. There are predictable logjams that can emerge if the two teams do not synchronize their efforts from time to time. “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” - Steve Jobs Some potential causes of friction that can complicate the handoff process include: • A lack of designer-developer communication • Differing skill sets between designers and developers • A lack of clarity from clients or PMs • Inconsistent naming conventions on either the design or development side • Vague holes or missing details in the designer’s handoff checklist Each of these holdups will affect the overall development cycle of a product and can be the most nerve-wracking part for some teams. If mishandled at an early stage, the design-to-development handoff can come back to haunt you at the execution and launch phase. Some specific risks of a failed design-to-development handoff include: • Slower overall development due to different interpretations of the product • Needless iterative feedback loops between designer and developer • Adverse user experience due to missing or overlooked details • Time-consuming bugs arising in QA, at an advanced stage of development when deadlines are approaching 34