Notes on Communicating with Engineers, Designers and Executives (post #16)

Engineers

With engineers, you have to explain everything clearly and in detail. Include technical information. 

 If something goes wrong, it’s your fault for not providing the correct specs.

 When pitching a feature, make sure you have a good idea of where the feature is going to go in the future.

 When possible, you should do the work upfront on things like checking logs or looking up data.

 Tech debt:something that has to be dealt with later because it wasn’t done right the first time. Engineers hate this. 

 Don’t treat engineers like an agency. Don’t design or come up with all the concepts yourself and just hand them the requirements. Let them provide feedback and come up with their own ideas. 

 Designers

Give designers their creative freedom. 

 Don’t treat designers like an agency or someone who just makes things pretty. Ask them for feedback. 

 You and your designer should function as a team. You need to show them all the data involved in the project. 

 Don’t ever tell the designer what to do. 

 Always talk about user problems first and solutions second. Let them come up with the best solutions. 

 Executives

Be brief. Write two bullet points rather than two paragraphs. 

 Always speak in terms of business effect. Explain what things mean in terms of revenue and metrics.