Should Designers Learn About Coding? 💻
Hello fellows
I have been wondering for a while about learning to code and develop websites as a new skill and future service as freelancer. Well the question is very easy to understand: Should designers learn to code? The only answer is Yes/No. If you are like me you will think… well that’s kind of obvious… and Yes will be the answer but there is a good analysis on the No answer.
Let’s talk about Yes
Today I started a web development course at Udemy (not sure about the quality but it was a bargain tho). I was learning some basics about web development beacause I’m a complete newbie on this field and I don’t have a bloody idea about coding, for example I learned today that web development and code is not programming so there is a lot of people who makes mistakes about that.
This coding thing started no long ago when I was frequently asked by my clients to start making websites and use wordpress, it was a shame because there were good opportunities to make extra money on those contracts. With this client pressure, I decided to get myself involved with userflow and UI design to start making some site mocks which actually turned in a very recurrent activity for me as designer.
All my thoughts about web development are spinning around learning coding to be able to help on real scenarios working with developers. For example, I find very useful to have the knowledge of coding to keep my design ideas restricted by what is possible to make on coding, so I don’t waste time making wireframes which don’t work.
Let’s put all this together:
- You can make more money by having a coding skill (this is something extra as a designer).
- You can help on real scenarios with a team of developers.
- You can create your own ideas by your self.
Now let’s talk about No
If you thought the only obvious answer here is Yes, well let me just tell you that you can be wrong there too. If you want to help a team of developers to get done some new software product like a website or application then yeah it is very important to know some coding stuff, but what if you are working by yourself creating something a new site? You can achieve this by using Wix or Wordpress without knowing how to code, additionally you can also create whatever you want or desire with high quality visual graphics making an amazing site.
There are also some other software tools as Webflow where you don’t need to know about coding, allowing you to drag and drop, create shapes, change color, use fonts, layout or images on a very easy and friendly way. As a consequence of these new tools you don’t actually need to know about coding to create sites if you want to, with some practice and intuition you will be able to use a correct layout and bingo! You have a professional site.
The last point about No is quite simple… you don’t want to learn to code you can just hire or get someone to do it for you, this could cost you money if you don’t get a friend or some other source to get it done on the right way.
Putting all together:
- You don’t need to “waste” time learning to code now that there are some user friendly tools to develop sites.
- You can pay, hire or make someone else to do the coding for you.
- You can also create your own ideas but possibly this can cost you money.
Final thoughts
In my opinion, I consider learning about coding as a personal goal, it is not a must for a designer to get this is skill because you can jump all this leaning process (possibly boring phase) and get directly to what you want to create. As for myself, I want to invest time to learn it because I do want to take into count all the restrictions when it comes to create a new site, also to be able to participate and give my opinions on the building process the time I’m working with a developer team, and the third point it is because I want to be able to create my own products, this last point could be essential for me now that I want to have a site where I can share my products and my portfolio. It could happen that at the end I will go to some other tool as Webflow to develop my ideas or client projects, but the first step should be to learn the old style.
I want to ask you something… what’s your opinion?
If you want to extend your love to my ideas it is super easy to do :)
You can decide on:
- Following
- Upvoting
- Resteeming
- Commenting
- Sending SBD or STEEM tips to my account @carlosd15
You can get in contact with me through: Discord app:
Steemit Chat:
Peace!
I strongly agree with the points mentioned above. But I don't think there's a perfect tool out there to make amazing websites with amazing web designs like this :
https://steemit.com/design/@crazybunny/design-inspirations-1
https://steemit.com/design/@crazybunny/design-inspirations-2
Services like WIX and SQUARE are only helpful if you want a decent design of your website. If you want extraordinary designs you definitely need to learn to code or employ someone for the coding part.
Overall, A very good article with equal points supporting both the sides. I would also like to mention that there is a coding tutorial bundle available for as low as 20$ with stackcommerce. I'll paste the link below if you want to check it out :)
https://stacksocial.com/sales/pwyw-learn-to-code-2017-google-go
Thank you for your time reading! Yeah.. there is a balance between the pros and conts of learning. At the end.. what you lose learining it?
The ability to code is not a half to have but definitely a should have. Designers can do quite well design pages with applications such as Wordpress (which does most of the work for you). Such sites constrain you to the limits of the application. Being able to code yourself allows you to push the boundaries of your design.
I agree with it, I'm kind of square minded guy and I know you can jump into some other easy tool to build the code by creating visual shapes as webflow but I feel this is the last stage for me, I will do it but at the end after getting the skill.
Hello Carlosd15
I am hoping to promote an idea for having a blockchain solution for relief efforts around Hurricane Harvey. Perhaps you could do something similar to what I am doing today - sending the link to my posting:
https://steemit.com/steem/@dwarrilow2002/a-blockchain-solution-for-harvey
I am hoping to gain the attention of experts in blockchain design and initiate a dialog around this.
I guess we can learn both designing and coding. Put more effort on each one depending on the situation.
yup.. I'm taking the decision on learning it. I dream about creating stuff
Well... you are right but from my experience its much better for someone to focus his/her attention. This is because when a designer starts off to become a programmer, he is now open to new challenges that might cause a shift from his base
I think you guys need to read my post about what a new programmer faces
https://steemit.com/programming/@nuely/starting-off-as-a-programmer
Exactly, I'm preparing myself on creating structured devs buy having into count coding restrictions.
As a developer myself, I've tried to learn a bit of design - since I know it can not only help my own work - but it can also help me collaborate better with designers since I can tailor the code I write knowing what they'll end up doing with it. 😅
So I'd assume the same could be said for a designer learning to code - since there can often be a bit of overlap in responsibilities of designers and developers.
Although I don't disagree that coding can be a pain, and tools like Wix / Wordpress make things a lot easier.
I think the best communication between the two worlds is to know each other a bit (at least) :)
Wow, I have to believe that coding falls under the category of 'wiring'. I thought I would pursue a degree in technology to learn how to code, etc.; and, I genuinely had to accept after the first semester that this was not what I was created to do. Of course, it gives me great joy for all those who are wired for such. They deserve every penny they earn for all the benefits, we the users receive. So, thanks for this post. I suppose my answer to the question is this: If you are 'called' to code...code on...If the thought of such wears you out emotionally, find something else to do. Everyone has their God-given niche!!!
Peace.
yeah, but what if you can cover 2 niches? it will be amazing to help and earn value from it. But in essence it if you can only do 1 thing very good just keep improving it.
+carlosd15 I agree, God does gift us with many 'niches' in life. It is important to do what gives you life, a work you would do for free if you could afford to. Too often, people enter a career path that literally is grueling to their very being. There are some people who eat, sleep, and breathe everything tech. This is a gift. I literally found myself drifting in thought at the monotony of it all. This was years ago. I went on to pursue a totally different career path that brings great joy. Bottom line to everyone...pursue what you love...not for the money...but for the joy it brings at the end of the day.
Peace.
if you love something really much and you can do it well for others, money would not be a problem :)
I'm a believer that diversifying is good, but focusing and specializing is the most important. We can't be good at everything, but if we are really good at something then we are well off :)
hey my friend! I'm trying to diversify here. I can't wait to start making some funny amateur sites xD
Its good you seem like you learn very quickly, so considering this fact it's good to diversify!
Handy to have even a basic grasp. Helps communication with the people doing the code.
Yup, currently I'm facing some negativity about not knowing how to code.
The key benefit I see of having a basic understanding is you get some idea what the implications of a design are for the dev team. That way you can tweak it to make things easier on them
yup, in that way everyone is speaking the same language.. literally! ^^
Good for thinking...
Web designer and developer should understand each other.
That's why one learns the other's word.
Developer should understand HTML work is the world hardest work~~~
It's more difficult that coding for me^^.
hopefully I will find myself doing both within 30 years >.>