5. "Somebody has to do design around here, and you seem the creative type"
6. Learn to design
It's cool being a "designer who codes" when you work for a small company that needs people who can do multiple things. Always lots to do, and you get a lot of control over how your design is implemented, since you're doing a lot of it.
When I started working for larger companies, they did not know what to do with me. I kind of had to pick a well-understood path so they could fit me into the org chart. I decided to go with design, as I got sick of learning a new way to manage state every two weeks.
The only superpower it gives me is being able to translate what engineers say. Even if I know how web apps are built, I don't know how ours is built at a level where I can start wading in to arguments about it. I wouldn't do that anyway, because it's presumptuous.
(As you know, the opposite is not true: any engineer, manager, executive, or other employee feels empowered to teach a designer how to do their job better, I've noticed.)
I like to code, but I'm happy I don't have to do it for a living anymore.
I faked it until people believed I knew what I was doing. I had just finished school (and grad school), so I wasn't going back for another degree in engineering or design. I felt lucky to not be working at a deli or a call center, which had been my previous jobs. I spent a lot of nights and weekends trying to get things right, while making it look like it was easy. Eventually it did get easier, like with all skills.
I tell people that design is a form of engineering. Like engineering, it's about finding the optimal solution given a set of requirements and constraints. Nobody believes me, but I don't really see that there is a meaningful difference beyond the tool set. The hardest thing about design is that you cannot automatically validate it, or write unit tests, or do static analysis. You have to try it out, and be willing to look stupid, then iterate on it as soon and as often as you can.
The main qualifications for being a designer are that you can imagine the process from the perspective of someone who isn't you, and that you give a shit about it being right for them. I've worked with a lot of front end developers who are good programmers, but don't give a shit about getting it right. When I did both design and development, I think that was my main advantage, and why I eventually got pretty good at it.
1. Get an English Lit degree
2. Decide you want to own a home someday
3. Learn to code
4. Get a job for a small company
5. "Somebody has to do design around here, and you seem the creative type"
6. Learn to design
It's cool being a "designer who codes" when you work for a small company that needs people who can do multiple things. Always lots to do, and you get a lot of control over how your design is implemented, since you're doing a lot of it.
When I started working for larger companies, they did not know what to do with me. I kind of had to pick a well-understood path so they could fit me into the org chart. I decided to go with design, as I got sick of learning a new way to manage state every two weeks.
The only superpower it gives me is being able to translate what engineers say. Even if I know how web apps are built, I don't know how ours is built at a level where I can start wading in to arguments about it. I wouldn't do that anyway, because it's presumptuous.
(As you know, the opposite is not true: any engineer, manager, executive, or other employee feels empowered to teach a designer how to do their job better, I've noticed.)
I like to code, but I'm happy I don't have to do it for a living anymore.