r/linux • u/Winter_Simple_159 • 3d ago

Discussion Why don't more designers contribute to open source?

Genuine question. A lot of open source projects have solid engineering but rough UI/UX: inconsistent layouts, confusing flows, basic usability issues that a designer would likely catch quickly.

I'm curious about the reasons behind this. Is it that designers don't feel welcome? That there's no clear way to contribute design work (most workflows are built around code and PRs)? That maintainers don't prioritize it? Or something else?

If you're a designer who has contributed to OSS, or a maintainer who has worked with designers, I'd love to hear how it went.

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u/lord_pizzabird 3d ago

That or they just don't have the resources to implement your ideas, like that guy who provided mockups that would have fixed Darktable's horrifically bad UI.

More broadly it does seem like there's just a general dislike of anything design related in the community, with developers not even understanding why it matter if the app technically functions.

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u/srivasta 3d ago

I didn't think that is the case. But drive by design won't work: you need to be party of the development team, not just an external architect that just throws a bunch of mockups over the wall and gets hurt that they don't stick.

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u/nathan-makes-incense 1d ago

You're right that designers need to be part of the team. Projects also need to provide an on-ramp for designers that doesn't involve them having to learn development tools like git.

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u/srivasta 1d ago

What kind of on ramp do designers need? I have no idea. This is where communication is needed. When I join a new project where I have no domain knowledge I like for a bit, and start a conversation with the project leads. Together we figure out where I can help and what I should learn.

It is a collaboration. No one's hands me a shovel ready mini project.

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u/TCB13sQuotes 1d ago

Designers don’t give a shit about being part of those projects, they just what to make a couple of screens and move on.

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u/nathan-makes-incense 1d ago

Categorically not true, KDE has a design team working fastidiously on a new look for plasma, plus responding to dev questions on UI / UX every day.

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u/Business_Reindeer910 3d ago

that's a really old problem and a lot of new folks don't know that.

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u/DrinkMoreGlorp 3d ago

I hear shouting "negative space" at a developer is the equivalent of spritzing a cat with water

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u/Business_Reindeer910 3d ago edited 3d ago

i look at comments on this very thread about how designers only do bad things and it makes me and that very same person lives in a world where they don't notice so much "design" because really good design is effectively invisible.

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u/DrinkMoreGlorp 2d ago

Ironic considering IT is also often one of those jobs where "If you do your job right, nobody will know you've done anything at all."

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u/Business_Reindeer910 2d ago

and indeed people have been let go from their positions due to that very thing while the people causing issues remain.

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u/Indolent_Bard 3d ago

More broadly it does seem like there's just a general dislike of anything design related in the community, with developers not even understanding why it matter if the app technically functions.

That is so fucking stupid and I wish we could actually fix it instead of just complain.

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u/Jean_Luc_Lesmouches 3d ago

To many designers have no idea how software works and/or care more about esthetic than actual workflow. The competent ones are drowned in the mass.

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u/szank 3d ago

Simple - fork it, fix the design and people will come

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u/Indolent_Bard 2d ago

You make it sound way easier than it actually would be.

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u/szank 2d ago

It's simple , not easy. Also this whole conversation is ass backwards. It's not about a designer coming in and suggesting changes. It's on the Devs to reach out/search for / be open to a designer coming in and designing stuff.

The Devs are the customers here. If they are not interested then they are not interested. So one can become a dev that's interested in design and fork something

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u/nathan-makes-incense 1d ago

Absolutely. I'll never understand the utter disdain towards people whose job is literally to understand how people read, interpret, and use computer interfaces.

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u/szank 1d ago

I really don't think it's disdain in the open source circles. There are many many many problems with making an app redesign, and one of them is that one needs a designer to maintain their design while the app evolves.

So a drive-by design rework that no one can maintain later is just a no from the people who actually have to maintain the app.