Kelley Gordon is a former NN/G employee who published widely-used guidance on visual design, design specs and the designer-developer relationship, and the fundamentals of UI components including buttons, icons, and grids.
When designs get rejected in dev review, missing specs are often the culprit. A solid spec covers layout, interactions, requirements, and project scope.
In Figma’s Shortcut, typography and other elements are aligned to a grid, a clear visual hierarchy is established, and various design elements are used consistently in the design.
To create appealing designs, align type and elements to a grid, build a clear visual hierarchy, use color intentionally, and stay consistent with every design choice.
The infamous developer-designer relationship doesn’t need to be toxic. Design and development teams should approach collaboration as coowners of the product experience.
