Should Designers Learn To Code?

Photo by Florian Olivo on Unsplash

There is a big debate in the design community about whether or not designers should learn to code. On one side, some people argue that learning to code is essential for designers and that it can help them create better designs. Others say that coding is not necessary for designers and that they should focus on their design skills instead. So, which side is right? Here are some things to know to help you decide.

More Job Options

Jobs you have access to increase as you learn how to code. A lot of jobs get created by companies requiring people to have more than one skill set at the same time. In the case of design one such job would be a UI Engineer. A UI Engineer is a mix of a designer and front-end developer. They are responsible for creating the visual interface and ensuring it works well with the code that makes it function. Typically the coding languages you’ll see designers use include but are not limited to HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

Different companies want different things

Keep in mind that all companies are not the same and as such companies hire different designers for different reasons. Some companies want their designers to be specialists. Some companies want you to be more T-shaped. It just depends on the company and what they are looking for. As such there are plenty of companies that want designers that don’t know how to code and plenty that do.

You need to be patient to learn code

Like anything else, learning to code takes time and patience. It’s not something you can learn overnight. Whenever you take classes in coding, or bootcamps in coding, you are still going to have to learn things after those weeks and months of being in the classes. Even the people who have known how to code for years will still have to google answers to their coding problems on occasion. Plus, coding is like anything else in that if you don’t use it you can lose it.

Application of coding beats just having knowledge of coding

Also, there’s a difference in having the coding knowledge versus having on-the-job experience. Watching Youtube videos and going to college classes for coding is one thing, but having on-the-job coding experience is another. Having on-the-job experience in coding trumps just knowing how to code in theory, but not knowing how to apply that knowledge. I say that because as you may have heard, it’s easier to get a job when you already have a job experience.

Do you actually like to code?

If you enjoy doing something you will stick with it longer than if you don’t enjoy it but you are doing it just for the money. The sweet spot is if you like doing it, but it is also lucrative at the same time. Oftentimes the key to making a lot of money in something is to do it long enough for you to make a lot of money in it. Do you enjoy coding enough to get through all of the frustrating things about coding? If so, then coding may be for you.

All in all, whether or not designers should learn to code is up to the individual. There are pros and cons to learning to code, but ultimately it’s a decision that you have to make for yourself. Consider your goals, your interests, and how much time you’re willing to invest before making that decision. Once you figure out these things, you’ll be one step closer to deciding if learning to code is right for you. If it is right for you you’ll be able to figure out how to learn coding.