From the start of a project’s planning phase, developers should be given a seat at the table. The code developers write is what brings a design to life. Without the code you write, there would be no user experience to focus on improving. Without code, our designs for our apps and websites would be static pieces that we could look at but not interact with. Development is a part of the design process because the technical choices you make as a developer critically affect the user experience being built.
Knowledge of the visual design fundamentals and user experience gleaned from a project’s research and planning phases can help make you a better developer by enabling you to communicate effectively. You’ll be able to discuss technical limitations or how certain user interface features or animations can negatively affect user experience because of the code. And you’ll be able to do so with a more solid understanding of the design choices being made. This understanding will help you mediate discussions and come to a compromise when certain designs can’t be implemented (and be able to explain why.) The choices you make as a developer are design choices, and your code should be written with as much care as possible when shipping a product.