5 Reasons Why Designers Should Code
Lots of designers are locked in debate over whether graphic designers need to code or not. If so, just how deep do they need to go? Some think developers and designers need to collaborate, but then others think each should just stick to their onions.
Coding is actually a way of creating a stunning design, just in a slightly different manner. Grasping that will make you an attractive prospect in an increasingly competitive market. As a graphic designer, here are five reasons why you need to learn how to code:
1. Your work will not be lost in translation
It’s tough to present your well-throughout design to a developer and be confident that something won’t be misunderstood or even lost in translation by the way. When you learn even the basics of coding – like CSS or HTML, you can reduce the chances of that happening. If along with your design, you presented an instruction for coding, that’s an invaluable guideline for such a developer. Then you can rest assured that your creative vision will be realized without much back and forths. This also saves time on projects and, ultimately, money for the parties involved.
2. Better communication
While a segment of the population believes that the bridge between should remain and everybody should stick to what they know best. Others see no reason why professionals can’t wear multiple hats. Some developers indeed see designers that code as threats, but a significant portion of the development community welcomes designers who have interests in understanding their language, especially when it means room for better collaboration. When developers and designers speak the same language, designers can guess what it’s like being in the developer’s shoes, which in turn fosters more productive and timelier product development and management. Simply put, when a designer can code, it bridges the communication gap between them and the developers.
3. Skill Building
The competition today has made it immensely important to develop as many skills and hone them to remain relevant. In the design community, proficiency in programming is still practically uncharted territory, and having this skill will really do a lot more than fancy up your resume. Companies love to save resources, so they are repeatedly looking for experts that can make work easier and faster. Designers that know how to communicate with developers, contribute when necessary, find problems without having to call the developer every time. Having a designer with a dual mindset saves companies a wealth of resources, so taking that extra step learning to code will definitely make your resume stand out when companies are reviewing options.
4. Improved creativity
Understanding the nits and grits of development not only adds to your skillset, but it also makes you open-minded and solution-oriented. When you make design solutions, you do so with first-hand information on how such solutions will fit in the development. Knowledge of development allows true creativity to think ahead and plan solution-oriented products.
5. Bring your own ideas to life
What’s better than having an idea and developing it. As a designer, there are times you pull up ideas that have been left in the mud because there wasn’t time or money to hire a developer. Coding as a designer means you don’t have to wait before you bring your ideas to life anymore.
Finally, in conclusion, no law says you have to code as a designer, but it’s definitely an added advantage. Apart from the fact that it puts you in a better negotiating position, it’s the shortest route to bridging the designer-developer gap. No one is asking you to build an app or create a website; you can leave that for the pros, it’s amazing to expand your skill set for personal and career development. It’s not for everyone, and there’s nothing wrong if you are not interested, but if you have ever considered it, you should definitely give it a go.
