4 ms·
I consider myself both a designer and a developer, and wouldn't have it any other way. One day I will be pushing pixels, the next I will be writing an ad target
by SeoxyS 14y ago
I consider myself both a designer and a developer, and wouldn't have it any other way. One day I will be pushing pixels, the next I will be writing an ad targeting algorithm in Clojure.
Do you think it's impossible to be good both at Graphic Design and playing the piano? No. Why should it be any different with development?
Your mixed skill-set makes you an easily differentiable and incredibly valuable personality. I would hire you in a heartbeat, if you're both great at coding and design.
As for your bonus question, here is some anecdotal evidence: I joined a startup as employee #1 started by a generalist friend (and a non-tech co-founder). For the better part of a year, we were the only two technical people, both generalists. We made some awesome stuff, and now we're making bajillions of dollars and have ~20 employees, 14 months after day one.
- andrewfelix 14y ago>I consider myself both a designer and a developer But do you consider yourself 'excellent' at both?
- adrianhoward 14y agoBut do you consider yourself 'excellent' at both? Do you know anybody who is expert in everything in design or development? If not, why does it matter if somebody chooses to specialise in a subset of design and development - rather than a subset of design or development.
- andrewfelix 14y agoRead the OP title: 'Is it possible to become 'excellent' at both design and coding?'
- chris_wot 14y agoThe answer is: yes.
- subLimb 14y agoThat seems like a very simplistic question, and adrian and seoxy are trying to explain why that is so. There are MANY facets within both coding and design. It would be simplistic to assume you could be excellent in all facets of either one (because they are so broad). So why can't it be possible to be excellent at certain aspects of both coding and design?
- adrianhoward 14y agoI did read it. To answer the question we have to understand what it means to be "excellent" at design and what it means to be "excellent" coding, and what it might mean to be "excellent" at both. Judging from my experiences nobody is expert at everything in either domain... so what does it mean?
- batista 14y ago>the next I will be writing an ad targeting algorithm in Clojure Please don't. Leave ad targeting algorithms to the unwashed people, Perl, etc. Let's keep functional languages pure from the scum of the earth that is advertisers. Half kidding, of course.