Jamie O'Leary

On the web, forms are the linchpins of ecommerce, social interactions, and most productivity-based applications. Forms are often overlooked. They’re that boring part of a website where you fill in your details to get the information you want. Because they’ve been around for so long, some designers presume forms are a problem that’s already been solved — not true! And when you consider accessibility, many forms don’t pass the test. In fact, a recent WebAim survey listed complex forms as being one of the most problematic areas for screen reader users.

The design and technology landscape and how they’re used to build digital products has transformed in the past decade. As times have changed, so have the needs of companies recruiting designers. The explosive growth of the tech industry means that traditional universities have struggled to keep up with the pace of change when it comes to how designers work. And so, short intensive courses known as Bootcamps have emerged to fill the void.

Being a designer at Rangle has allowed me to work on projects spanning a variety of sizes, scopes, and industries. Through working on these projects, I’ve encountered different approaches when it comes to Visual Design Quality Assurance (I'll refer to it as Design QA throughout the rest of the article).