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“Designers Shouldn’t Code” is the Wrong Answer to the Right Question

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A new spin on an old chestnut. In “Designers Shouldn’t Code” is the Wrong Answer to the Right Question, designer Joshua Seiden succinctly articulates why some professionals fear that too much knowledge of code will lead to designs being based around implementation models instead of a user’s mental model; why that concern is overblown; and why having HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in the design workflow can make for a much better end-product.

Here at ALA, of course, it’s preaching to the choir. But Seiden’s quick, clear framing of the case makes it a fine article to share with colleagues who believe front-end code doesn’t belong in a “real” designer’s practice.

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3 Reader Comments

  1. Web Dev Notes Proxy © 2026 | Powered by Cloudflare Worker

    The topic discussed is really interesting and up-to-date! Thanks for touching it!

  2. Web Dev Notes Proxy © 2026 | Powered by Cloudflare Worker

    Thanks Jeffrey, for touching this topic! Many people view code as a restriction to a designer but actually it is liberating as it opens up a whole new realm of creative possibilities. Your design is executed the way you want it to be.

    DbaiG
    Bolee.com

  3. Web Dev Notes Proxy © 2026 | Powered by Cloudflare Worker

    Maybe designers should’t code, but they need to have a deep understanding how their designs can impact the code. Basically talking about responsive design.

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