If you're a designer you shouldn't take this article to heart. Being able to code in addition to designing has opened countless opportunities and made me a better designer.

Also entirely disagree with this. Let me propose an alternate mantra -- do what you like to do.

If coding seems interesting to you, try it. If you don't really like it, don't force yourself to continue because of dreams on $100k+ paychecks and billion dollar exits (might as well play the lottery instead -- less effort, similar odds). If you do like it, awesome -- continue doing it and you will improve rapidly. If you are actively invested in learning how to code, you do not need a school or anything to teach you, but if you have extra money and want to speed up your learning rate go ahead and enroll in one.

If coding wasn't your thing (there's a huge chance that it's not), don't feel inadequate because of the fact that people that code are reportedly doing well, or that software is a huge business etc. If you find something you really enjoy doing, you will be doing well. Because work won't be work, it will be what you want to do. And because you like it, you will improve much faster than everyone else. And given time, that will make you vastly valuable, and you will have more money and influence in whatever field it is, even it it's not software.

Code, design, construction, stripping, who gives a fuck. The field does not matter. What matters is how you feel about it. So don't take this guy's advice. If code seems like a cool thing to you, try it out - try learning to code. As a full time programmer, I can assure you that if it's something you like, it's an awesome and very fulfilling career. But if you try it and it feel tedious and not enjoyable to you, drop it and continue the quest to find your true work love.

While I agree that there are people who have no real need to get involved in 'coding' (i.e. the NY mayor), there is no harm in designers such as the author trying to improve their skills.

Sometimes you get a better understanding by doing.

makes sense from a managerial perspective.

disagree as a designer.

What better way to understand a coder than understanding how to code.

I completely disagree with that. I do not code in my everyday's work and yet, I'm convinced it helped me to become a better digital professional.

The author seems to think that good developers are everywhere in the real world. I think on the contrary that those guys are rare, and usually expensive to hire, even for simple jobs. Being able to kick-off a simple project on your own is amazing; which doesn't mean that you shouldn't hire a proper developer down the road though. I've never come across an article on HN saying: "Why I'm NOT learning to design". A good developer imo should know how to handle information architecture and fundamentals of visual design.

Although the Queen of Westeros is not going to agree with me but I genuinely think that knowledge is power.

Disagree big time. I'm a developer and I'd much rather work with people who have spent some time writing code. Especially when it comes to product and project managers.

I really don't like the sentiment "At best, we’re going to end up with a lot more bad code." Actually at best people start to gain a better technical understanding of the computers all around them and maybe they'll learn enough to start an interesting project. Coding isn't some kind of sacred activity that only the great masters should do. Would you tell someone don't learn learn guitar because it will just lead to people playing more crappy music, after all you're not Jimi Hendrix?

You have some issues with the responsiveness on this site. While a snarky response involving the title is tempting, i'll restrain myself -- just a heads up.

Reproduction: Size window anywhere between 1190 and 1020, scroll right. Screenshot: https://cloudup.com/cC6mzvyhrIV

Excelent article. I agree on his point of view. But as Carl says, you need at least to understand code to know how to deal with coders.