Unveiling the Hidden Complexities of Feature Development

Introduction

When we look at a design mock-up, it's easy to underestimate the complexity of turning that design into functional code. This post aims to shed light on the often-overlooked challenges that developers face when implementing features based on design mock-ups.

The Illusion of the 'Happy Path'

Design mock-ups usually depict the ideal user journey, often referred to as the "happy path." In this ideal scenario, everything works perfectly: buttons click, forms submit, and pop-ups appear exactly as planned. However, this happy path is more of a "lucky path"—it's based on the assumption that all elements will work seamlessly together, which is rarely the case in real-world scenarios.

The Reality Behind a 'Simple' Form

Let's consider a seemingly straightforward example: a modal dialog that allows users to select an item from a dropdown, add some notes, and then click a "submit" button. 

While the mock-up might make it look simple, the actual implementation raises several questions not addressed in the UI:

• Where do the dropdown options come from?

• Should the "submit" button be disabled while loading?

• What are the validation rules for each field?

• What API endpoint should the form hit, and what headers are expected?

• …

Initially, We could roughly have some code snippet like this:

const SimpleForm = () => {
  const [isOpen, setOpen] = useState<boolean>(false);
  const [modalView, setModalView] = useState("form");

  const handleClick = () => setOpen(true);

  const onSubmit = async ({ option, text }) => {
    await sendRequest({ option, text });
  };

  return (
    <>
      <button onClick={handleClick}>Open Form</button>
      {isOpen && (
        <Modal>
          {modalView === "form" && <FormView onSubmit={onSubmit} />}
          {modalView === "confirmation" && <ConfirmationView />}
        </Modal>
      )}
    </>
  );
};

Enhancements for Better UX

As you delve deeper, you'll realize that several "enhancements" are needed for a more user-friendly experience:

• Disabling the button while submitting

• Showing a notification for failed requests and allowing retries

• Meeting accessibility requirements

• Displaying hints and validation errors

• …

When integrating with other components, you may encounter additional challenges, such as package version conflicts or z-index issues.