What Business Managers Should Know About Front-End Development

Front-end development is a critical component of any web project, as it creates the graphical interface that users interact with on platforms like websites, web applications, and software. For business managers, who are responsible for overseeing daily operations and guiding their teams toward success, understanding front-end development is essential. Whether you're developing a new tech product or simply enhancing your online presence, collaboration with skilled front-end and back-end engineers is key.

Even if your project doesn’t require a full software engineering solution, front-end development is always a necessary step in web development. Therefore, it’s important for business managers to have a basic understanding of front-end development and know what to look for when hiring front-end developers.

This article is designed to be a valuable resource for business managers, providing insights into what front-end development entails, the role of a front-end developer, the benefits of front-end development, and the key factors to consider in today’s market. If you’re looking to hire a front-end engineer for your web development project, we can help. Fill out our smart brief, and we’ll match you with up to five top companies, or explore our curated list of the best front-end development companies.

What is Front-End Development?

Front-end development is the process of creating the user interface of a website or web application using markup languages — like HTML and CSS — and procedural/object-oriented based languages such as Javascript.

Front-end development may also be referred to as client-side development. It primarily deals with all aspects of a web application that users can see and interact with. It also covers the web application aesthetics, content layouts, typography, mobile responsiveness, desktop responsiveness, webpage performance test motion, static graphics, and much more.

Think about all the beautiful things you see when you visit a website or use an application. They're all aspects of front-end development that give users a great and happy experience.

Who is a Front-End Developer?

A front-end developer — also known as a front-end engineer — develops the user interface of websites. A front-end developer should be versatile in programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Front-End Development Frameworks, Angular, React, jQuery, Vue.Js, Bootstrap, Semantic UI, Svelte, Preact, and Ember.js.

They should also be protean in UI/UX design. Having a picture of how users will interact with the web application will guide them in building an excellent, practical, easy-to-use web interface. If there is a need to adjust to what the UI/UX designer could have made, their design thinking will help create a more engaging and user-friendly front-end design.

Relationship Between Front-End Development and UI/UX Design

Both front-end developers and UI/UX designers share a couple of similar attributes. They are both concerned with creating a great experience for users. UI stands for User Interface, while UX stands for User Experience. Since front-end development is centered on creating a fantastic experience for website developers, these two teams may have similar functions.

Business owners can note the difference between the two by remembering that UI/UX design the website or application using design software. At the same time, a front-end developer will bring the design into reality.

The Impact of Front-End Development on Business Growth

As a business manager keen on your business's success, it will be best to know how much your web page front-end development will impact your business growth.

We have already clarified that front-end development deals with the user interface of a website. Therefore — irrespective of the solution your business is solving — if your website interface is not appealing to the users, they won't stick to it.

Research indicates that UX designs have an ROI of about 9,000% profit for every $1 invested. Hence, a good front-end development practice increases sales conversions, customer retention and loyalty, customer satisfaction, and boosts revenue.

Whether you are a service-based or ecommerce-based business, your website interface will serve as a roadmap for when customers visit your website home/landing page to making a successful order of your product or service. Hence the need to prioritize getting your website front-end development right.

Why Business Managers Should Prioritize Website Front-End Development

The importance of the front-end development of a website can't be over-emphasized. Consumers and customers have most of the power — they determine who stays and doesn’t stay in business.

Here are some basic facts a business manager should know about the market realities of front-end development.

Poor Customer Experience is Payday for Your Competitor

89% of users patronize your competitors after a bad customer experience, while the remaining 15% actively share bad reviews about your business. As a business manager, having a website with exceptional front-end design will help you create a seamless experience for your users to keep them staying and driving traffic.

User Acceptance Reflects Project Success

Users or customers have a lot of influence on the growth of a company as well as its sales. There is no business without a marketplace. 70% of new products fail due to low user acceptance. Therefore, companies must focus on their front-end development to launch successful, top-notch products and services.

Reduces Post-Development Evaluation and Review Time

Post-development adjustments or corrections are 80% reduced when the DevOps team gets the front end right. In addition, the user experience evaluation and complaints resolution will save you extra costs if the series of UX research carried out during development time are integrated.

Improved Key Performance Indicators

Good front-end designs show increased product value and map a clear path to improvement where more effort is needed. With user experience surveys, organizations can track their performance better and make healthy business decisions.

Reduces Post-Launch Support Costs

A visible and impressive front-end development can reduce the trouble of going back and forth after the first product launch on the user interface and usability. Good UX design cuts support costs by up to 90%, as there would be no need for any added feature post-launch.

Benefits of Great Front-End Development in Building Web Projects

The benefits of great front-end development in building web projects are monumental, from giving your customers a great shopping experience to increasing your sales revenue. Building your web projects with great front-end development practices is always a win for your business and your customers. Find some core benefits of great front-end development in building web projects below.

Delivers Projects Centered Solely on Users' Needs and Satisfaction

Front-end development provides an in-depth understanding of users through user research and surveys. The entirety of front-end development is centered around the user. Before implementing the user interface, research is done to determine what the users would love to see and what their behavior is towards the product. Companies spend a lot of money on data solutions to maximize every piece of information with the goal of better understanding the needs of consumers.

Establishes Customer Loyalty and Brand Value

Front-end development establishes customer loyalty and brand value. Big organizations invest millions in front-end development with high hopes of creating an unforgettable visual experience in the minds of their consumers.

Brand designs like logos and trademarks are given extra attention to establish brand value further. Aside from its operating system, one of Apple's selling points is its user interface and experience. Apple invests greatly in its user interfaces and makes a double profit by making users pay for those experiences.

Modern consumers equate value with experience. It’s no longer just about the cost, but the experience they have with the product/service.

Increases Revenue and Successful Product Launch

As stated earlier, there is no product/service without a market. Investing in good front-end development equals happy consumers ready to pay for services or products.

Good front-end development guarantees an increase in sales revenue. With the added advantage of brand value, good front-end design promotes successful product launches. It is easier for Coca-Cola to launch a new product than it will be for a beverage company with an unknown brand.

FAQS

Q1. What should I look for when hiring a front-end developer?

Here are some key skills to look out for when hiring a front-end developer:

• Strong knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML
• Strong manual and automated software testing skills
• Knowledge of Angular JS and React
• Understanding of the importance of UI/UX in achieving business objectives
• Possess good communication skills.
• Must be collaborative, creative, and innovative
• Pay attention to detail and must be result-oriented

Q2. What should a mid level front-end developer know?

A mid-level front-end developer must have strong knowledge of top-end development tools like Angular and React.js. In addition, a mid-front-end developer should also possess expert knowledge in UI/UX.

Q3. What should a senior front-end developer know?

A senior front-end developer should have all the skills a mid-level developer has, as well as expert skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. With experience comes more expertise — a senior front-end developer can also double as a front-end analyst and consultant.