5. Support development, refine recurrently
The prototyping process (described above) is continued indefinitely because it is a tool forever improving the interfaces. However, when a given feature is finished enough to start being developed, the development process begins, and UX designers then work with developers and product owners to make sure the functionality is implemented in a way that makes sense, based on the research and concept development performed with users. Development functionality is demo’ed to end users as well, allowing for a direct and efficient dialogue between developers and users, with UX designers and product owners as helpers, making sure changes are implemented in a good and user-friendly way.
UX designers might, when relevant, provide the developers with “code sketches”—snippets of code meant to convey a concept rather than serve as production code. In the example above, the logic of how the contrast in the user interface behaves is presented as PostCSS code, which is essentially a faster way of communicating that particular logic than for UX designers having to describe it in words. Some UX designers have the technical ability to provide these types of materials and some do not, but have their focus on more conceptual aspects of the UX process.
As the front-end developers, who code the user interfaces that people interact with, start their work, support from UX designers make sure the direction of the work is aligned with the overall UX vision, and that any technical requirements that might impact the UX is implemented in a good and meaningful way.
When specific issues arise during development, UX designers assist in answering questions, rethinking designs or providing more detailed designs when necessary.