Everyone has heard of writer’s block. We’ve all seen a blank canvas, and felt that feeling of infinite possibilities – it’s a little scary, isn’t it? In the process of creating custom software, it can be difficult for developers to visualize the needs of the client with nothing more than words on a page. That’s where designers come in. Our job is to bring the needs of the client to life, and provide a path for the programmers to build the best product available.

The most important skill any designer needs to have is the ability to ask the right questions. While clients often know what they are envisioning, conveying those ideas can be a challenge. As a result, it is imperative for designers to be able to distill the client’s needs into actionable objectives. Something as simple as “I want easier navigation throughout my website” can (and should) lead to a larger conversation about the current flow, the pain points, and potential improvements. Conversations like these are vital to ensure that the picture of what will be built is the same in the heads of everyone involved.

Once the goal has been outlined, it is up to the designer to take those goals and put them into practice as visual representations of the final product. Some people do not realize the benefits of this process, but in reality, it can save hours of time and effort. It’s a lot easier to change a wireframe than it is a website, and this can lead to rapid iterations of a product. More iterations mean more improvements, which means a happier client, which is always the goal at the end of the day.

As a designer at OPG, my job is to guarantee that the final product we deliver is exactly what our clients are looking for. That job starts right at the beginning, and when done right, sets up those farther down in the development process for success.

Ready to bring your ideas to life? Contact OPG today to get started!