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Mobile development blogs, tutorials and resources inside!Latest Mobile Dev Insights: iOS, Android, Cross-PlatformAdvertise with Us|Sign Up to the NewsletterMobilePro #198: Design Meets Dev - Turning Friction into FlowHi ,Welcome to the 198th edition of MobilePro!Designers and developers: two teams chasing the same goal, yet often speaking completely different languages. What starts as a clean Figma file can turn into confusion once it hits the codebase: layouts break, intent gets lost, and frustration builds on both sides. It’s not only a communication problem but also a mindset gap.However, it doesn’t have to be this way. With a few simple shifts in process and perspective, design–dev collaboration can move from friction to flow.In this issue of MobilePro, we’re breaking down practical ways to bridge that gap, so teams can move faster and build better together. You’ll learn how to:Align early by involving developers from day oneCreate a shared vocabulary that eliminates translation errorsUse Figma’s Dev Mode to simplify handoffsBuild a feedback loop that keeps everyone in syncThis is an excerpt from the bookDesign Beyond Limits with Figmawritten by Šimon Jůn.Before we jump in though, let's take a quick look at last week's highlights:📱New Siri to use Google Gemini🔔 iOS 26.1 Update🧩 Android 16 GSI Released🤝 Cursor 2.0Take the Survey!Meet the AuthorŠimon Jůn is a design-led product leader and Chief Operating Officer at Dotidot, based in Prague, Czechia. Beginning his career as a product designer, he rose to the role of Chief Product Officer and now shapes company strategy as COO—giving him a unique perspective that spans hands-on design work and executive decision-making.As the official Czech host of Friends ofFigma, Šimon organizes community events and talks that foster open knowledge sharing. Through his workshops and online training programs, he has helped hundreds of teams streamline theirFigmaworkflows and bridge the gap between designers and developers.Bridging communication gaps between designers and developersOne of the most persistent challenges in product development is the interaction between designers and developers. While both disciplines work toward the same goal, that is, creating functional, user-friendly products, they often approach problems from entirely different perspectives, leading to friction and miscommunication.What’s the problem?Designers and developers are two essential forces in product development, but they often struggle to understand each other. As a designer, it’s important to remember that what you create in Figma isn’t the final product—the production code is. However, despite working toward the same goal, many teams face miscommunication that goes beyond just different terminologies and perspectives.The challenges run much deeper than word choices. Designers and developers operate with fundamentally different mental models. Designers work with fluid, relational thinking, placing elements freely in space and considering visual hierarchy and flow—much like how Figma’s free-canvas approach works. Developers, on the other hand, operate within structured, hierarchical frameworks shaped by how code, databases, and systems are organized. They think in terms of top-to-bottom sequences, nested structures, and rigid organizational principles. This fundamental difference in spatial thinking creates natural tension when translating design to code.Additionally, there’s often a knowledge gap around existing technical infrastructure. New designers, and even experienced ones joining a project, may lack the historical context of how current systems were built, what technical constraints exist, or what potential blockers might arise from legacy code. Understanding the production environment and existing technical architecture is crucial for creating designs that work within real-world constraints, not just in an ideal vacuum.Here are some common terminology differences between Figma and code:Understanding these differences is crucial to ensuring a smoother workflow and more effective collaboration between designers and developers.How to fix itTo bridge this gap, designersand developers mustactively work toward a common understanding:Involve developers early: Bringing developers into the design process from the start ensures technical feasibility and helps avoid late-stage surprises. Make sure everyone understands the purpose behind design decisions through clear design annotation. I highly recommend walking through the entire design with developers, explicitly describing each screen and interaction rather than assuming anything is obvious. This serves two crucial purposes: developers can challenge your solutions and gain a deep understanding of user flows and interactions, while you, as a designer, can catch hidden flaws you might have missed during the design phase or that went unnoticed during design critiques.Establish a shared vocabulary: Document and define key terms that designers and developers use differently. This makes communication clearer and reduces misunderstandings. Consider using tools such as Storybook or similar documentation platforms to create a shared reference point where both teams can see how design components translate to code, helping establish common terminology and understanding.Use Figma’s Dev Mode: Leverage Figma’s developer handoff features to provide precise specifications and make it easier for developers to inspect design elements.Encourage cross-team learning: Designers should develop a basic understanding of development constraints, while developers should familiarize themselves with design principles.Create a feedback loop: Regularly review designs together to ensure alignment and address potential issues before they escalate. Remember that this loop goes both ways. Designers should also be involved in QA processes to verify that implementations match design intent, helping prevent details from getting lost in translation. Make sure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities, and establish clear points of contact so team members know who to reach out to when questions or ambiguities arise.There are two primary ways to establish continuous feedback loops:Scheduled weekly feedback sessions: This is the most common approach, where teams set up recurring calendar meetings for feedback. Designers present their progress, and other designers and developers discuss any necessary changes or improvements.Daily asynchronous feedback: A more fluid approach, which I personally prefer, involves integrating feedback into the team’s everyday workflow. At Dotidot, designers and developers provide feedback asynchronously at the end of each day using Loom recordings. This fosters a culture where feedback is a natural and ongoing part of collaboration, rather than being confined to structured meetings.Even if your team lacks hybrid designer developers, followingthese practices will save significant time, reduce confusion, and create a more seamless workflow between both disciplines.If you want to explore more such tips and tricks, thenDesign Beyond Limits forFigmais for you.🚀Level up into a highly sought-after designerthrough expert techniques and battle-tested workflows🧵Learn faster with a hands-on guidebuilt around practical, recipe-based approach✨Put Al to work inFigmawith workflowsthat speed up content, assets, and cleanup while saving hoursDesign Beyond Limits withFigmaBuy now at $44.99!👋 And that’s a wrap. We hope you enjoyed this new format of MobilePro.P.S.: If you have any suggestions or feedback, help us improve by sharing your thoughts. Click on the survey below.Take the Survey!Cheers,Runcil Rebello,Editor-in-Chief, MobilePro*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0}#converted-body .list_block ol,#converted-body .list_block ul,.body [class~=x_list_block] ol,.body [class~=x_list_block] ul,u+.body .list_block ol,u+.body .list_block ul{padding-left:20px} @media (max-width: 100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width: 100%;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}}

72 hours left: AWS SAA-C03 workshop Early Bird OfferCloudPro #111Early Bird closes in 72 hours. Last Few Seats At This Price.Early Bird Offer: Get 40% OffUse code EARLY40 to get 40% OffWe're running a 5-hour workshop to help you pass the AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam. In your first attempt.Here's the deal:Most SAA-C03 prep courses are 40+ hours of someone reading slides at you. This isn't that.We took the exam blueprint, identified what actually shows up in questions, and built a workshop around those patterns: VPC design, multi-AZ architectures, when to use RDS vs. DynamoDB, and load balancer trade-offs. The stuff that really matters.You'll build a real architecture during the hands-on lab.You'll learn how to read exam questions.And you'll understand what AWS is actually asking for.Your instructors:Saurabh Shrivastava leads the global solutions architect team at AWS. He wrote the bestselling Solutions Architect's Handbook and AWS for Solutions Architects. He has more than two decades of experience in the IT industry. And he knows what AWS expects from architects.Kate Gawron is a full-time senior database consultant and a part-time future racing driver. She has worked with Oracle databases for 18 years and AWS for five years. She is the author of AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) Exam Guideand AWS Certified Database – Specialty.Early Bird closes in 72 hours. Last Few Seats At This Price.Early Bird Offer: Get 40% OffUse code EARLY40 to get 40% OffWhat you'll walk away with:Live walkthroughs of multi-AZ architecturesHands-on lab building real AWS environmentsExam strategy (how to spot the right answer fast)120-day access to session recordingsStudy plan and resources for continued learningPass guarantee: if you don't pass, join the next cohort for freeJanuary 17th | 9am - 2pm EDTDon't let this opportunity slip away. Secure your spot now, at 40% off.We’d be delighted to see you there.Cheers,Shreyans SinghEditor-in-ChiefEarly Bird closes in 72 hours. Last Few Seats At This Price.Early Bird Offer: Get 40% OffUse code EARLY40 to get 40% Off📢 If your company is interested in reaching an audience of developers and, technical professionals, and decision makers, you may want toadvertise with us.If you have any comments or feedback, just reply back to this email.Thanks for reading and have a great day! *{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0}#converted-body .list_block ol,#converted-body .list_block ul,.body [class~=x_list_block] ol,.body [class~=x_list_block] ul,u+.body .list_block ol,u+.body .list_block ul{padding-left:20px} @media (max-width: 100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width: 100%;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}}