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John Maeda: If You Want to Survive in Design, You Better Learn to Code(wired.com)
over 6 years ago from Benjamin Valmont, Designer
Paco Lara, over 6 years ago That is another good question. How long is the professional life of a designer? It´s something that really concerns me, because you really think than all the designer of the world can became creative directors? There is no place for everybody. I´m trying to find my B-plan but maybe, this is something that should be explained to the students when they are young. "Hey, you can´t be a designer your whole live, In the future, when you will be 50yo you are going to be too old to work, think about that"
Tim Resudek, over 6 years ago It seems to me that the natural path is to move towards strategy/operations as you get older. These are two things that young designers don't do as well as more experienced designers – frankly, they don't seem interested in this stuff.
I think a working knowledge of engineering technology is always helpful but there really is no need to be proficient; leave it up to the pros. Learn just enough to have a good conversation about engineering.
Most of the comments are short sighted.
Learning to code at 30 isn't going to help you compete with 20 somethings who can do both. They will be cheaper than you, and in all likelihood, they will be quicker than you.
Whilst I think learning to code is of great benefit to a designer working for the web (my experience only), you should be thinking of the bigger picture of your career.
Will you, at 40 or 50, still be designing apps or websites?
If you want to make a career of this, then you need to think long term. Where can you add value when you're 40? The answer may be that you need to be involved at a strategic level; the Art Director or Creative Director. Perhaps you want to continue day-to-day designing – in an Agency, or solo? If so, do you need to build up a list of contacts now?
The problem with most of these threads and articles is short-termism. If you think that coding is going to help you have a longer term career, then do it. But that's not the core of the problem.