While I agree that design is important, and perhaps a good thing to learn about, as a well-rounded human being, the author left me unconvinced of his thesis: "p

While I agree that design is important, and perhaps a good thing to learn about, as a well-rounded human being, the author left me unconvinced of his thesis: "programmers should learn design." It's important? So is physics. Computers don't work without physics. It's loads of fun? So is physics. You'll get better at it the more you try? So is... basically anything. You'll recognize and appreciate the work of talented designers? And by learning physics, I'll recognize and appreciate the work of talented physicists! Those same arguments could be used to persuade anyone to learn anything. For my undergrad degree in engineering (and, to a lesser extent, in grad school) we had to learn to work the user experience process -- interviewing users, figuring out what drives them, how they interact with products, what their needs are, how to run product tests with users, etc. Why? Because we might actually have to do it some day. Not so much with visual design. Visual design courses were offered, but not compulsory. While learning visual design (or UX, or product design, or whatever) might make you more useful in the workplace, and able to wear more hats, I'm still not convinced it will make you a better _programmer_.