ART

There is always that balance of whether to find a developer who can also handle the design of user interface, or a designer who can mock up the application as image files for a developer to make those visuals reality.

When creating a web application, you’ll need to find a developer to talk over your concept and give you cost estimates on development. The application development will be the biggest expense in the project. The more complete your concept and data flow - the closer the estimates will be to final cost. That is why many clients use a designer to build out the “look” with all elements as click through HTML and then provide that to the developer. But since one can tweak the “look” of an application - the development of the product can also be put ahead of the look of the product. Choosing that direction has the developer create generic application – working through all issues with data and queries, then the designer comes and designs the interface elements to match what was programmed and the developer uses those designs to rebuild the application with the new look.

Design –> Development: focusing first on concept,  general look and feel, user logic paths,  data  queries , sorting then fine tuning the graphics along side of application development  (focus: how it will look and function – building it to match concept)

Development –> Design: focusing first on detailing of data and user volume, then data sorting based on queries, then building rough model of application for testing - graphics developed as needed bringing in design concept and rethinking user logic paths and fine tuning graphics along side of final application development. (focus: allowing programmer to determine function and flush out concept  – designing  to match function)