It’s not just for front-end developers but also full-stack developers. You might think that as a full-stack developer, you don’t need to delve into design and writing because your primary focus is coding.
So why is it important?
Imagine you are building a simple landing page, just one page, and you’ve created it without any design guide. You can build it using HTML and CSS, and that seems simple. However, then you start to feel confused.
What’s the best color for your header? What font size for the title? And why does the website look unappealing?
Oh gosh, it’s just a simple landing page. It should be a straightforward task.
Yet, it takes a long time to decide on the color palette and typography.
You may have good skills in HTML and CSS. Your code is clean, and you use the latest stack.
But you’re website may look like this.
Then, I believe everyone was surprised by its appearance.
”I’m working with a designer. Do I still need to learn design?”
Good question.
But when you are working with a designer, I believe that the collaborative process will start and that can be chaos if the developer doesn’t have any fundamental design. You may encounter disagreements with the designer, leading to miscommunication.
For example, the designer chooses Font X for brand consistency and readability on small screens. However the developer, not fully understanding the importance of typography in design, decides to use a different font that they find more readily available or easier to implement in the code. This causes inconsistencies in the app’s visual identity.
At least you know about the fundamentals
You don’t need to learn too deeply about design. Just focus on learning about typography, layout & composition, color theory, and user experience. If you find them interesting, you can explore them further over time. However, mastering these subjects is sufficient to build a ‘good’ and meaningful website
Design isn’t just about art and taste. it’s about problem-solving, much like programming. Both involve the art of problem-solving. So, when programmers learn design, it helps us become better --- better at communication, better at solving problems, and better at showcasing our work. Most importantly, it allows us to create a meaningful product.