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Marketers and developers speak different languages. They have unique ways of thinking and distinct sets of goals when working on a project – almost as if they were from different planets.
To help us recognize and understand the inherent difference between the two, we find it fitting to imagine that marketers are from Mars and developers are from Venus.
Despite coming from different worlds, marketers and developers often need to work together. The challenge is that marketers tend to think in terms of aesthetics and creativity, whereas developers think more technically. Without first understanding this foundational mindset difference between the two, fruitful collaboration can be a challenge.
The differences between marketers and developers comes into focus when they are made to use the same project management tools. Naturally, the two groups prefer specific tools for project management, and we believe they should not need to work with tools they are unfamiliar with during collaboration.
The Importance of Marketers and Developers
Although marketers and developers have different roles, they are both critical to a project’s success. Just as Mars and Venus are both equally important in our solar system, marketers and developers need each other to ensure the end deliverable meets expectations.
The two jobs go hand-in-hand. Even though they may work on separate tasks, they are still working towards the same goal. Software needs to be well developed, or people won’t want to use it. It’s just as critical that the software is effectively marketed to reach a large and targeted audience. Without the developed product, marketers would have nothing to promote. Similarly, a developed app can’t be successful if it doesn’t reach the people it was developed for.
How do Martians and Venusians Differ?
Even though marketers and developers are not literally from different planets, they have very distinct preferences when it comes to working. What then, are the critical differences in how these two groups like to work?
The most noticeable difference that creates obstacles for collaboration is that marketers work creatively while developers work technically. A marketer’s job requires them to constantly think of the next breakthrough idea to capture their audience. Being a marketer demands great attention to aesthetics, trends, and design. Whereas, a developer’s job is to create operational software which requires a more structured and to-the-point mindset.
Marketers and developers also have unique communication styles. This difference limits their ability to collaborate and use common tools in the workplace. Marketers, for instance, have a more synchronous communication style; they like to use video or audio to meet and go over ideas. These meetings help make sure everyone on the team is fulfilling the clients’ goals.
Diana, Scopic’s Marketing Manager, agrees with this – she mentioned that “marketing work really needs a much more flexible approach where campaigns are treated as ongoing ‘living, breathing’ projects that require constant monitoring and almost immediate intervention when they are not performing.”
On the other hand, developers have more of an asynchronous communication style; they tend to communicate through chat or email to update on the status of the project they’re working on.
What Tools do Martians and Venusians Prefer?
Marketers and developers tackle projects differently, and this is made evident with the tools they prefer. Marketers tend to need more fluid tools that allow them to brainstorm and be creative. Tools that developers use are more inclined to be structural, chronological and require a logic-based workflow.
When working on projects, marketers often prefer project management tools such as Teamwork or Monday.com, which utilize aesthetically pleasing design and color to assist with project management. Since marketers work creatively, they prefer to use more visual tools with graphics and ease of collaboration.
These tools are also designed to make working with a team seamless. They are more fluid and allow creativity to flow through them. They provide a space to exchange messages with the team, making sharing ideas more accessible than ever. This feature also makes it easier to collaborate with clients, ensuring they are always in the loop.
According to Diana, “managing marketing activities with Teamwork seems a lot smoother because we are able to work on different phases of any given campaign simultaneously, without following a particular chronological order and not forcing the creative process in which any given task is performed.”
Teamwork provides marketing teams with a place to organize tasks as well. Within the service, it is possible to create and comment on tasks, making communication and expectations about projects effortless. Teamwork also makes it easy to create Gantt charts, which is extremely helpful when managing projects because they make project goals clear to everyone in the team. All of these features make Teamwork a preferred tool for marketers.
Meanwhile, developers tend to prefer tools such as Jira or Zepel, for project management. These tools are different from Teamwork and Monday.com because they are not visually focused. Instead, they utilize data fields and text rather than graphics and color. Developers prefer things to be clutter-free and straight-to-the-point instead.
Planning projects as a developer can become complicated. Jira provides a structured platform that makes it possible to plan tasks, sprints, releases, and create and assign tickets. Marko, Scopic’s Technical Team Lead, said: “I prefer Jira because it is intuitive, easy to manage and customizable. It allows me to easily get a full picture of project status and to manage release paths”.
Tools like Jira also provide users with the option to create burndown charts and cumulative flow diagrams. Features like this make it one of the most popular project management tools. It also makes integrating agile and estimations into projects easier, which is important when working in software development.
How can the two Easily Work Together?
Since these two professions have such distinctive work styles and prefer using different tools, it’s vital they work with the tools that aid in their contrasting styles. If they are forced to use the same tools when working on projects together, it can become a hindrance – marketers can become uninspired, and developers can become frustrated.
So, how can marketers and developers work together with the tools they are comfortable with while avoiding miscommunication and extra work transferring things from tool to tool?
It’s easier than you would think. Applications such as SoftSync, Unito, and Zapier allow you to connect your project management tools.
Although multiple applications can connect your project management software, if you’re looking for a tool that syncs Jira and Teamwork in real-time to ensure seamless collaboration, SoftSync is the best option for your company. Ensuring that project details are synced across platforms in real-time is a great way to increase efficiency and productivity across your company, and SoftSync can help your team achieve that.
Ultimately, even though marketers and developers can operate as though they are from different planets, they can work together seamlessly as long as you recognize their key differences. Acknowledging that they require different project management tools is important. However, while many companies, including software development services companies, recognize that marketers and developers require different management tools, they struggle to find a way to unite both preferences collaboratively.. Luckily, applications like SoftSync offer an easy solution to this problem and allow the Martians and Venusians to work together without issue.
