Is there any evidence that design and engineering are really oil and water? In my experience most of my work has cross-over between the two with a continuum of

Is there any evidence that design and engineering are really oil and water? In my experience most of my work has cross-over between the two with a continuum of how much design skill is needed. For example in previous jobs we have had many cross-discipline roles like Technical Artists, Technical Designers, Gameplay Engineers and Rendering Engineers. Various art positions like Lighting Artists will even get in on the act writing shaders alongside engineers. Level Designers will very often be required to write scripts. In general the closer you are to the squishy human stuff the more design skill and knowledge its useful to have and visa versa. In my current role I'm engaged in experience design and engineering. More generally it feels like there is a lot of gate-keeping between design and engineering. Neither is too keen on the other muscling in on their turf. I think this notion of the designer-engineer being a unicorn is mostly bunk promulgated to this end. Designers having a working knowledge of programming and programmers having a working knowledge of design really does help collaboration and project resilience. Specialization will remain a thing but it should be looked at in shades of grey rather than black and white.