Developer, UX designer, graphic designer, boss, and everyone else. What life in a software house really looks like
Friday seems like a good time to put aside system architecture, APIs, deployments, mockups, deadlines, and the question, “Can we get this done today?” for a moment and take a slightly more lighthearted look at the IT industry.
Because a software house isn’t a place where ten developers walk into the office in the morning, all open their laptops, and leave in the evening with a finished system.
Well, okay. Sometimes that really is what it looks like... But only at first glance.
In reality, a good project is created by people with a wide range of skills. The developer builds the solution. UX wonders whether people will even know what to do with it. UI makes sure it doesn’t look like an admin panel from 2008. Marketing figures out how to talk about it. The content specialist tries to explain it all in plain language. Someone keeps track of clients, deadlines, invoices, and organization. And someone else has to remember that the printer is out of paper.
And that’s exactly what makes tech teams so interesting.
The developer — the person who knows how to talk to computers
A developer might come to work in a designer hoodie, a great T-shirt, excellent sneakers, and perfume expensive enough to make someone in administration wonder whether we happen to work for a luxury brand. They might have the latest gadget, headphones that cost half a paycheck, and a laptop whose specs read like a power plant manual. Breakfast? Not just a butter-and-jam sandwich. It could be yogurt, good bread, something with avocado, specialty coffee, or a lunch prepared with more care than many a company project.
And then there’s the other type.
Hoodie. Headphones. Silence. Ideally, working remotely. Ideally, with the camera off. After work, the computer stays on because there’s still “a little gaming” to do. That little bit wraps up around 4 a.m.
Of course, there are all sorts in between — and that’s the best part.
A developer doesn’t have to look like a stereotypical developer. Just as programming is no longer just about sitting and writing code for eight hours.
A good developer needs to understand the problem they’re solving. They need to be able to talk to other specialists, understand the project’s constraints, anticipate the consequences of technical decisions, and sometimes say, “No, let’s not do it this way, because we’ll regret it in six months.”
And that’s when real teamwork begins.
UX/UI — or why that button is right there
UX isn’t about choosing a pretty button color.
UI isn’t just “let’s make it look modern,” either.
Designing a digital product requires understanding the user, their goal, limitations, decision-making process, habits, context, and what might get in their way.
That’s why a designer can’t focus solely on the screen. They have to focus on the person. And a designer who also understands technology has another huge advantage. They know what’s actually possible. They don’t have to write code. But it helps if they understand how code works. They know the difference between frontend and backend. They know what an API is. They understand responsive design constraints, data, integrations, forms, error states, validation, performance, and technical considerations that affect the interface.
Because designing a beautiful screen that can’t be implemented in a sensible way is a bit like designing a car that looks great but has no room for an engine. You can. But why?
In my case, this mix has been the foundation of my work for years. Graphic design, UX, UI, visual communication, communication psychology, marketing, content, plus programming knowledge and an understanding of technology. Not so I can be the best developer in the world at the same time. But so I know how all these elements need to come together to make a product that makes sense.
Because a good project doesn’t start with the question, “How do we draw this?”
It starts with the question, “What should someone do here, and why?”
The graphic designer — the person who makes sure nothing looks accidental
Graphic designers often get a very specific brief: “Make something cool.”
And that’s when the fun begins.
Because “cool” could mean anything...
Minimalist.
Elegant.
High-tech.
Bold.
Premium.
Modern.
Or “like the competition, only better.”
A good graphic designer doesn’t just make pictures. They need to understand the brand, communication, typography, information hierarchy, proportions, contrast, audience, and context. And if they work on digital products, they should understand UX, too. Because a graphic can be beautiful and completely useless at the same time. And this brings us to something very important... In a software house, there’s no single person responsible for “making things look nice.”
The designer, developer, marketer, and content specialist have to work things out together.
Only then do you get a product that not only works, but is also clear, consistent, and convincing.
The marketer — the one who keeps asking, “So how are we going to sell this?”
Marketers have a special superpower.
They can look at a finished product and ask: “Great. But why would a client want this?” — And that’s a very good question.
Because technology itself is rarely a selling point.
Clients don’t buy APIs.
They don’t buy frameworks.
They don’t buy beautiful database architecture.
They buy a solution to their problem.
That’s why marketing has to translate the language of technology into the language of benefits. And then find a way to get someone to actually read the message.
The content specialist — the translator from tech to human
“The system uses a scalable microservices architecture with asynchronous communication...” Sounds good. But does the client know what’s in it for them?
Sometimes the greatest value a content specialist brings is saying: “Good. Now let’s write it so people can understand it.”
Because you can be a great technologist and still not know how to explain your work to someone outside the industry.
After all, users shouldn’t need a PhD in computer science to buy a product, create an account, or complete a simple task.
The assistant — the person who knows everything
This is a role that can’t be properly appreciated in a single paragraph.
The assistant knows what needs to be ordered.
They know what hasn’t been ordered.
They know which invoice is still outstanding.
Knows who was supposed to do something.
Knows who didn’t do it.
Knows when to follow up.
Knows where the document is.
Knows that someone was supposed to call.
And is probably the first to notice that the kitchen is running out of coffee.
This is often the person who makes it possible for the rest of the team to focus on their work instead of wondering who was actually supposed to order paper, pick up a delivery, or take care of the documents.
The boss — the person who makes the decisions no one else wants to make
The boss might show up a little later.
Has their own office.
Spends a lot of time on the phone.
Values comfort, but probably doesn’t come in wearing pajamas.
Goes to meetings.
Sometimes alone.
Sometimes takes the creative person along.
Sometimes the developers’ CEO.
Sometimes everyone at once, because the client has a lot of questions.
The boss has to listen.
Has to negotiate.
Has to keep an eye on the money, the people, the clients, and the company’s direction.
And sometimes they simply have to say: “All right. This is what we’re doing.” Because even the most democratic team eventually needs someone to take responsibility for the final decision.
And that’s when it becomes clear that running a technology company is about much more than technology.
And then everyone comes together on one project
And suddenly it turns out that everyone is right.
The developer says: “You can’t build it the way it’s shown in the design.”
UX replies: “But the user needs to follow this path.”
Marketing says: “The client won’t understand this.”
The designer says: “But it doesn’t fit here at all.”
The content person says: “But we can’t write it like that.”
The boss asks: “How much will it cost?”
And the assistant from the other end of the office says: “Has anyone finally signed that invoice?”
And that’s how a product is made.
Not from code alone. Not from graphics alone. Not from UX alone. Not from marketing — but from combining expertise.
A modern software house is an interdisciplinary team. Depending on the project, it may include developers, UX/UI designers, QA, PMs, analysts, DevOps, marketing, content, or people responsible for the business side. Roles may be separate or combined, especially in smaller teams.
And that’s exactly why good collaboration between these people is so important.
Because a developer can create a system that works beautifully.
A designer can create a great interface.
A marketer can put together a great campaign.
A copywriter can write great copy.
But only together can they create a product that someone will actually want to use.
And after twenty years of working in this world, I know one thing for sure: the tech industry is full of extremes.
There are developers in hoodies and developers in T-shirts that cost half a paycheck.
There are people who love the office and those who would rather never leave their own homes.
There are pixel-perfect perfectionists and people who say, “Move it two pixels, that’ll do.”
There are bosses who love spreadsheets and those who prefer the phone.
There are UX designers who start with research, and those who open Figma first, or those who just know.
There are developers who can talk about architecture for hours. And those who just want to finish their ticket in peace.
And I think that’s exactly what’s best about this industry — we don’t have to be the same.
We just have to know how to deliver something that works together.
And if someone happens to bring good coffee, new sneakers, or exceptionally good sandwiches along the way — even better.
