The world of interactive design and development has significantly grown and expanded in the last few years. Frameworks and tools, like Flex and Flash Catalyst, have expanded the capabilities of the designers and developers that work together to create content and applications.
With this expansion however, we have delineated the world as two hemispheres: designers or developers. The reality though is that all of us are a varying combination of disciplines, some are designer-based, some are developer-based. It is through the combination of these disciplines that give us all unique value in projects and teams. We also look at these disciplines to help expand and grow our own abilities and skills.
To help define this dynamic world a bit better a new model is needed. This discipline map is a good first step to represent who we are and how we fit in with our peers and colleagues.
Resources
There are a number of files that are on Acrobat.com to help. I have posted a PDF version of this document, as well as Fireworks and Illustrator files for individuals to use and share with their peers and teams:
I will be continuing to work with this content and will be updating it along the way as I get additional feedback. In addition, I am hoping to create an interactive version that will help illustrate some of the concepts in the map.
Overview
The grid is divided into eight disciplines, each representing a different type of content or activity that someone participates in when creating interactive content and applications. Not all of the disciplines on the grid need to be applicable for every person. In fact, some of them may not be part of most individuals set of skills or disciplines.
The disciplines that comprise the grid come from design and develop activities. These are not technology based, nor are they linked to specific applications, but represent the general skills that tools and technologies help fulfill. The disciplines are (clockwise):
- Software Architecture
- Scripting and Programming
- Data Operations and Models
- Structured Content and Abstraction
- Motion and Audio Design
- Interaction Design
- Layout Design
- Visual Design
To use the grid, review the discipline definitions below (or in the linked PDF) and determine which level is appropriate for you. There are four options: none, low, mid or high.
When you define what level you are for a discipline, use the Fireworks or Illustrator file to hide or show the appropriate levels of the discipline.
Here is an example I created for myself:
When I was looking at the disciplines, I realized that I was high in three areas, but moderate in the others and low in one. This map now represents my abilities and skills with generic disciplines that will help me understand where I currently fit in with my peers and gives me an indication regarding where I have to go to.
Other Applications
Other variants on this diagram can include applications in resource and project management. Different projects require different disciplines, and this grid can be used to map out the requirements and then to ensure that a project has the necessary coverage.
Discipline maps can be combined to represent entire teams indicating strengths and weaknesses in skills and disciplines within a group.
Feedback
If you have feedback, or have used the map in new ways or have stories to share, please send me a note at dwinnie@adobe.com. I’d love to hear how you have been able to use this tool for you and your teams.
Design and Develop Discipline Definitions
From Acrobat.com:
Direct Download: Design and Develop Disicplines.pdf
Software Architecture
The Software Architecture component captures the various range of disciplines using, creating and planning reusable frameworks, components and APIs.
Low: The user is implementing a solution on top of an existing framework without any changes.
Mid: The user is extending the functionality of an existing framework.
High: The user is creating a new framework from scratch.
Scripting and Programming
This is the actual action of writing code to create interactivity or work with data. It doesn’t include structuring content using tag based languages like HTML or XML.
Low: The user can create simple timeline scripts to go from A to B, and can capture simple user interactions.
Mid: The user can create procedural code using functions and adopt some object-oriented programming practices, but not a complete object-oriented solution.
High: The user has a full grasp and understanding of object-oriented coding including the usage of code design patterns akin to JavaScript, ActionScript, C#, etc.
Data Operations and Models
When working with web applications and interactive experiences there is some level of interaction with data sets or data services.
Low: The user works with static data sources, like a flat file or XML file.
Mid: The user works with live XML data services like RSS feeds, or SOAP/REST data services.
High: The user creates data services using server technologies for other users to consume and integrate into their web applications or online experiences.
Structured Content and Abstraction
Organizing and structuring content with various levels of abstraction are covered in this realm. Defining abstraction between content, style, or user interface components and object classes are the various ranges of skills in this area.
Low: The user can create structured content using HTML or XML.
Mid: The user can extract design and style from content using CSS, JavaScript/ActionScript, etc.
High: The user can completely extract design, style, interactivity and data using code frameworks to facilitate centralized publishing for deployment on multiple devices.
Motion and Audio Design
Motion Design encompasses the wide range of motion, video and audio to convey concepts or relationships, adding additional value to web to interactive experiences.
Low: The user can implement video and audio content in interactive and web experiences.
Mid: The user encodes, does minor editing or manipulation of video and audio content in interactive web experiences.
High: The user creates custom audio and video content.
Interaction Design
Creating and understanding interaction and human interface norms to build consistent models and expand the definition of human interaction are defined in this area.
Low: The user can create basic level of mouse interaction with objects triggering events.
Mid: The user can create integrated interactive components or user interfaces that respond to user, scripted or data driven events.
High: The user can create completely integrated interactive experiences of any scale, leveraging extensive data services and multiple levels of interactive or interaction models.
Layout Design
Layout design is the act of taking content and creating a navigable way of consuming it using multiple media types. This includes concepts like text flow, unique positioning and value attribution to content based on context, and the ability to give the written word a level of interaction beyond language.
Low: The user can create layout formats, placing content in predefined layout structures.
Mid: The user can create defined layout structures based on existing copy, visual, or other media types that are available.
High: The user can create layout structures and orientations before content and media have been developed, defining overall layout requirements.
Visual Design
Competent visual literacy and art production practices are the basis in this region. Expanding on these concepts, growth into visual direction utilizing style and motion to build and extend new visual metaphors are encapsulated here.
Low: The user can work with visual designs and make minor adjustments for their particular use.
Mid: The user can extensively manipulate raw visual design assets that have already been created for application in web or interactive experiences.
High: The user can create visual designs from a concept or vision using design tools for communication of the overall vision.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much for posting this material, Doug! And again, great talk at Max.
Glad to see that someone else is grappling with the grey areas btween desing and develop! However, it would be useful to be able to access the pdf file – the lnk seems to be broken…
@Kate Bradshaw
The links are on Acrobat.com — I’ll post a direct link to the PDFs later today for you to access them.
I have to say Doug, that this work is fantastic! I feel that you have created something here that can revolutionize how to look at the creative interactive industry. Not only is this relevant for product development from Adobe’s standpoint, but this is extremely relevant for the recruiting industry. I have always considered myself a down-the-middle type of person, straddling the line between designer and developer. I’ve even called myself a designoper at points in time. I want to thank you for doing this research and coming up with a fantastic method for qualifying the uniqueness of individuals in this discipline.
I will use your template to communicate my skills to potential employers and hope that companies and organizations can begin to realize the benefit of a visual tool such as this for their recruiting efforts. Thanks a bunch and keep up the excellent work!
Doug,
Check out my new blog post about your wheel:
http://eriksgreenblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/designer-or-developerwho-cares.html
I even attached the one I did for myself. Thanks again for all your work!
Doug,
Thank you for a great lecture at Max 09. As per your recommendation I did download the maps from your blog. I hope to connect with you again tomorrow or Wed at “Birds of Feather”.
Amit