Designers Should Code.

Design is a process - a process that develops models of solutions to problems. Every model comes with specifications. Engineers follow those specifications and build mediums (products/ structures) that solve problems.

Most architecture programs include structural courses. If an architect doesn’t consider how the structures work while modeling, the model becomes a nightmare to the civil engineers. This is true for product development as well. If designers don’t consider how the product will be built, the design becomes a nightmare for front-end engineers.

Three reasons why a product designer should know coding:

1. Avoid Unnecessary Iteration: Imagine designing a product and getting approval through testing using prototypes. But when forwarded to the engineering team, you receive feedback that the design cannot be implemented because of the way it is designed. It will create a loop of iteration that might cost the business an enormous amount of hours.

2. Effective Communication: Design and development are two discrete processes with no overlapping*. This is why it is very important to ensure that the communication between the design team and engineering team doesn’t lack any clarity. To have that clarity, designers should know the context of the front-end and how components are built.

3. Clear Documentation: Design team must deliver clear instructions to the engineering team about how they have envisioned the product. Having a good knowledge of frontend constraints helps any designer to write these documentations in a much more effective manner.

Now that we know how designers having the knowledge of front-end engineering can save the business from many undesirable outcomes, does it mean all designers must code? No. As I have mentioned, design is a process. And this process contains planning and execution*. Designers responsible for execution will benefit the most from having the frontend knowledge. You might be asking, how deep you need to dig into front-end. In my opinion, knowing decent html and css really helps a lot and is quite adequate.

Finally, there’s a saying, “An hour of planning can save you ten hours of doing”. And to save those ten hours, we must know first - what to plan and what not to plan, in other words, what to design and what not to design.

* Learn how design and engineering don't have any overlapping: https://lnkd.in/gFMBkq-v

* Learn more about the product design process: https://lnkd.in/gaUcCGVK

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