What's an iDev? Another type of Ipod accessory?
It's an internet thing, is my usual response to the inevitable question after I have answered the what do you do for a living? question.
So, apart from an 'internet thing', what is an iDev and what does one do? It stands for Interface Developer - another example of how us 'web folk' tend to get grouped into specialisations with trendy names.
Although I'd been doing the same kind of work in many of the places I've worked, I'd not been called an iDev until my latest manager brought the title from London and noticed I fit the bill. Now I like to think this is the interesting part; wherever I've worked I've either filled a space no-one knew existed or created one that was needed, sitting somewhere between designers and developers.
Sitting is an apt word as throughout my education and career I've sat on the fence enjoying designing and developing with equal preference. This position has led to me being called a jack of all trades and a master of none. I like to think that I'm a master of being a jack of all trades.
On a day-to-day basis I take an active role in design, development and the project management processes. Take a website project as an example; I work with the ideas people (IAs - another trendy title) to create practical solutions to what our research tells us our users need.
Once we've defined what we're going to build, I help the designers translate the IA's visions into practical, worked up designs. We have a rolling review process where I review designs and ask questions like why would you click on that? This can often be a hotbed of debate but we all enjoy the process and learn from each other.