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ASK DN: What do you want to learn in 2016?

almost 8 years ago from , Designer

As someone who is interested in everything, I always need to put a concious effort not to spread myself to thin. So every year I list my skills and try to figure out where I should be headed in 2016.

I'll keep it short, I'm planning to shift away from being a front-end web dev/web designer and try to get into the visual/motion design space, sharpening my drawing skills, getting some motion design (SVG with GSAP) techniques in and possibly play around in Cinema4D to get some cool simple 3D animations going. Then I can use my CSS & jQuery knowledge to build some interesting projects in 2016 and have a reason not to get too much into the code side of the web !

What about you guys? Let's hear it !

32 comments

  • Joseph Decker, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    • FramerJS (currently beginner)

    • Pixate

    • AngularJS / BackboneJS

    • AfterEffects (maybe baby)

    • https://www.nngroup.com/articles/

    • How to hold a strong business

    • The essence of number "3"

    • Win Space X competition (lucid dream)

    • Lucid dreaming

    • Pokemon themes on the piano

    • Cut my own hair

    • Build a 360° video/audio-recording mannequin

    • Invest in what seems to be the future

    • Asking better questions

    • ...

    The list keeps on going. Und so will we.

    8 points
  • Robin RaszkaRobin Raszka, almost 8 years ago

    Rails, Swift

    6 points
  • n keylen keyle, almost 8 years ago

    I want to learn how to design again. Because I've forgotten, living in code. I miss problem solving, reasoning, day dreaming and tweaking an imperfect solution to an impossible problem.

    5 points
    • Julian LloydJulian Lloyd, almost 8 years ago

      I have a similar pain, but I wouldn’t describe it as having lost design—if anything code has sharpened my design blade... but it feels sterile in it's efficiency.

      For me it's the lack of art and flare in my work as I’ve grown as a developer. Not long again, I used to graphic design websites—oh the gloriously impractical yet beautiful ideas I conceived.

      Now, I’m just a design machine.

      1 point
  • Jay RJay R, almost 8 years ago

    I am stuck in a private company. 2016 want to - Learn how to live a life - Learn to design. (AGAIN) - Learn to code - Learn to make new friends - Learn to not work so much that your social life goes into drains

    2 points
  • Mark Shiel, almost 8 years ago

    Ahh 2016 is all about learning and growing for me.

    I am stuck in a retail job that I hate and I have dabbled with web design and development for the past 15 years or so, so now is the time to take it seriously for me. I am diving in head first and spending the year learning and building stuff.

    I hope to cover: Photoshop, Sketch, illustrator, responsive design + frameworks, PHP, Javascript, jquery and all that jazz as well as looking into different income generating activities drop shipping etc. I already have experience, it's just that I am a little rusty.

    And to get me away from the computer for awhile, I am also learning to play the guitar.

    This is pretty much going to take up all my time. I would love to do one of those bootcamps, but they are too pricey, I am going to attempt to recreate the experience at home, at least by making it very intense and immersive. My aim is to learn everything I need to know and then produce a portfolio with a number of awesome websites.

    2 points
  • Sander VisserSander Visser, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    Haven't done this before, cool. I'll split it up in learning and doing though.

    Learn

    • More about JavaScript (basics and Angular/React)

    • FramerJS

    • Get comfortable with others faster

    • Get better in Interaction & UX Design

    Do

    • Read more books

    • Work on (side)projects alone

    • Keep and get in contact with people

    • Graduate

    • Start a startup / find a job

    2 points
  • Nicole FosterNicole Foster, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    For next year, my goals are to expand my programming knowledge. So my list is:

    • AngularJS / NodeJS
    • Possibly FramerJS for prototyping
    • PHP & MySQL since it's always used at work
    • Swift and/or Java to program mobile apps natively

    Otherwise, outside of programming, I'd like to continue learning how to sew and improve my Japanese.

    2 points
  • Andrew LeeAndrew Lee, almost 8 years ago

    Good topic!

    1. Unity.
    2. Learn how to run a (successful) business (by creating one).
    3. Learn what I consider to be a valuable use of my time. (no clue right now)
    4. "Read a room" and how to use it to my advantage.
    5. Learn more about technical analysis of stocks & day trading theories.

    Design? Front-end? yawn whatever.

    1 point
  • Bryce York, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    For me it's mastering AngularJS (currently intermediate-advanced) and reaching the level I'm at now with Angular with ReactJS (and React Native).

    1 point
  • Guillaume GalanteGuillaume Galante, almost 8 years ago

    For me 2016 will be: - Learning FramerJS - Probably switching to Comet - Learning Swift (at least having an understanding) - Starting designing for VR & AR - Continue Lettering & improving this skill - Do more photography than in 2015

    1 point
  • Lex Vargas, almost 8 years ago

    I'm torn between learning programming (Swift, Objective-C) and learning motion design.

    Aside from those two, here are the things I will do come 2016:

    Brush up my drawing skills 2d illustration/character rigging (for fun) Writing Photography

    Here's to a wonderful 2016! Cheers~

    1 point
  • Dan DiGangiDan DiGangi, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    Sketch. React Native. Swift/Obj-C. How to be less awesome.

    Wait, what?

    1 point
  • Matt Dean, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )
    • Jump into animation
    • Switch to Comet
    • Master frontend coding
    • Seriously learn Mac app development
    1 point
  • Joe VillanuevaJoe Villanueva, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )
    • Vanilla JS (improve)
    • React
    • VR
    • 3D Design (printing, laser cutting)
    • Lettering
    1 point
  • Brian Howe, almost 8 years ago

    Learn more about coding I guess.

    1 point
    • n keylen keyle, almost 8 years ago

      Don't do it. You will end up being paid more, more employable but you will lose your soul. And in 10 years, you will be where I am.

      5 points
      • Thompson GeorgeThompson George, almost 8 years ago

        +1 for losing your soul. Similar to selling your soul to the devil. All your empathy will be removed from your body. You will become increasingly awkward. You won't be able to stand your ground in even the most smallest of small talk. Your grocery list will be in an array.

        Then you will think. • Why am I here? • What language can I learn to make more money? • Was God a dev? • What language can I learn to make more money? • If so does he know C or straight binary? • What language can I learn to make more money? • Why am I thinking about this? • What language can I learn to make more money?

        3 points
  • Samuel ṢoṣinaSamuel Ṣoṣina, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    Just out of interest, why have you decided to move away from front-end web dev/ web design?

    Heres what I want to learn -

    • Figure drawing
    • Motion design
    • Colour
    • Typography
    • Layout
    • Spanish
    • Video production
    1 point
    • Benjamin ValmontBenjamin Valmont, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

      I have some strong opinions about the future of the web and where it’s all headed.

      1) With flexbox, standard style libraries, web components we are looking at less need for custom CSS and jQuery. Small business sites will become obsolete through the big traffic sites such as Facebook for Business and the likes.

      2) I learned how to code since graduating design school and seem to be slowly headed into becoming a web dev. I got into gulp, frameworks, CMS stuff and the only thing I see is bloat, complexity and dependencies. It doesn’t really align with how I feel the web should be.

      3) I have a visual mind and it’s really tough for me to enjoy coding because I just don’t seem to think that way.. As someone else here said, it might be a good career choice to learn how to code but you will lose your soul.

      4) The projects I want to get into now are so code heavy tha my design skills are pretty much an aside. I mean, WebGL and Canvas are awesome, but at this point it's becoming a career decision and at 30 I need to start thinking which direction I'd like to go.

      TLDR : designers should design and coders should code, for their own sanity.

      3 points
      • Jay RJay R, almost 8 years ago

        Being a designer and a programmer since high school. I want to get into programming native apps, but looks like it's going to be a bad idea.

        1 point
  • Csongor BartusCsongor Bartus, almost 8 years ago

    1. Colors

    2. Animations

    3. React, GraphQL, React Native

    4. The new Wordpress on Meteor / React

    1 point
  • Hamza SiddHamza Sidd, almost 8 years ago

    I want to learn Unity & 3d studio max, I believe Virtual Reality will have the next great UX challenges/opportunities.

    1 point
    • n keylen keyle, almost 8 years ago

      Honestly, invest more time in AR and hololens than VR. VR is further away than AR. I 'm making bold claims here without factual information, but it's my gut feel after a year or so.

      1 point
  • Thompson GeorgeThompson George, almost 8 years ago

    RESIDUAL INCOME

    1 point
  • Shane BolandShane Boland, almost 8 years ago (edited almost 8 years ago )

    I want to learn more about:

    • Design, so I can design websites that are easy to use, sell more, and look nicer.

    • JavaScript, so I can use more React.js and ES6 in my projects

    • Writing, so that I can can write juicy sales pages and landing pages for myself and my clients

    • Drumming, so that lady in church will stop giving me dirty looks when I make a mistake

    • Piano & Ukulele, to increase my understanding of music theory, and my dexterity in both hands

    1 point
  • Adam RasheedAdam Rasheed, almost 8 years ago

    AngularJS or ReactJS ( still haven't figured out which yet)

    How to be a better designer ( improving my craft is always a priority)

    Learning about AJAX, JSOn, and hooking up APIs to my projects.

    Getting proficient in creating WooCommerce themes

    1 point
  • cliff nowickicliff nowicki, almost 8 years ago
    • Invision
    • Lettering
    • Youtube marketing for my channel
    • Game design to create a game for steam
    • Javascript, more than just editing/skinning plugins
    1 point
  • Celeste NorthCeleste North, almost 8 years ago

    For me 2016 is the year of focusing on better prototyping, meaningful design and user testing.

    In a more technical tone, looking forward to try Comet.

    0 points