Development frameworks are all the rage right now. Discussions are on going as to which is the best or most useful for speedy development. What is interesting though, is that not much focus is being placed on how frameworks can benefit other parts of the lifecycle.

For any development project to be successful you need an appealing an eye-catching design effort. This is a perfect example of where a framework could be used to improve speed. A framework is a skeletal structure designed to support ( link ). It does not have to be some third party solution, it can be any structure that fits with your style and implementation.

But, if it is not some solution I download, then how do I use it?

That’s simple, just look at the way you do things when you design. Look at what process you go through in terms of starting on paper before moving into some computer application. What naming convention do you follow for your files you create? What directory structure do you use when you want to keep things organized? All of these things make up what a framework is. By simply analyzing how you work and consolidating it down to be common across all projects you now have built your own framework for your design style.

In development, whether it be software or the web, there are two aspects of every project that need attention. The front-end user interface and the back-end system. In the old school of thought, that would mean two different people or if big enough two different teams.

No longer is that necessarily the case.

With the boom in the entrepreneurial spirit, more and more you see people trying to strike it up on their own. Easiest way to do this? Handle both aspects of that development process. You might not end up as the best programmer and you might not end up as the best designer. But it is a special trait to be able to at least understand both and help the translation process.

You still have to be careful not to spread yourself so thin that you are no longer good at anything. “Jack of all trades, master of none” is the common phrase. Even if you play exclusively for one team or the other, it always helps to at least take a peak at the other team’s play book.