There’s a lot of talk about cross-functional collaboration, but for designers, working well with developers isn’t just a bonus — it’s essential. A beautifully crafted UI in Figma means nothing if it doesn’t translate smoothly into production. The real product is built in code, not in the design file.

Early in my career, I treated handoff like a finish line — polish the design, send the Figma link, and move on. But that rarely worked. Developers had questions I hadn’t anticipated, edge cases I hadn’t covered, and constraints I didn’t consider. That disconnect often led to visual inconsistencies, delays, or worse — redesigns.

Over time, I learned that the most effective way to work with developers is to involve them early and often. That means:

• Sharing low-fidelity wireframes and asking for feasibility input

• Maintaining a shared vocabulary (spacing, naming conventions, interaction behaviors)

• Using tools like Figma’s Dev Mode and interactive prototypes to clarify intent

• Being available during implementation to answer questions fast and adjust if needed

In this post, I’ll outline the communication habits, handoff techniques, and documentation strategies I now use to make collaboration smoother. You don’t need to learn how to code — but understanding how developers think will make you a better designer, and your work will be more likely to ship as intended.