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> its a mode of thinking and analysis Right now, though, that thinking and analysis mostly comes with very little assistance from the computer. We are pleasant

> its a mode of thinking and analysis Right now, though, that thinking and analysis mostly comes with very little assistance from the computer. We are pleasantly surprised when a compiler manages to guess what we meant when we made a mistake. I think there's a lot of room to help with the process of thinking rigorously. New models of programming could conceivably allow someone to start down the path of building, and then have an interaction with the programming environment in which it helps to find ambiguities or special cases. I'm a terrible artist; I wouldn't try to make mockups if there weren't sites like Balsamiq. Even if I tried, they would be too rough to serve as any kind of spec. The right tools allow more (not all) people to succeed in trying their hand at design. Of course they will never be a "real designer", but hopefully they can accomplish more of their goals without help. I think better programming tools and paradigms can have the same effect.

grey-area 12y ago
I'm a terrible artist; I wouldn't try to make mockups if there weren't sites like Balsamiq. Even if I tried, they would be too rough to serve as any kind of spec. The right tools allow more (not all) people to succeed in trying their hand at design. Of course they will never be a "real designer", but hopefully they can accomplish more of their goals without help. This is a great analogy, but unfortunately I think it undermines your point somewhat. Almost anyone can become a great artist or designer, but what it takes is practice, years of practice, and learning from others who have gone before and are working now. There are no short cuts and tools are really the least important element in any discipline, be that design or programming.
- swartkrans 12y ago
  > Almost anyone can become a great artist or designer I challenge this claim. I don't think just anyone can become a great artist or designer and if you think this I think you miss a great deal when it comes to evaluating these skills. Maybe anyone can become great at Photoshop and the other various tools, but if you don't find yourself enjoying designing, and you haven't had an artistic trait that others have recognized in you early on and you're not making much headway now, you probably want to find out what other talents you might have. I think that if you enjoy designing you should pursue it. I think wanting to be good at something can lead to a high degree of skill because the motivation will drive you there. Not everyone has that motivation and so not everyone can be a great artist or designer. I think the same thing can be said of engineering. People who go into this field to get a 9-5 job and hate the work will struggle competing against people who love what they do and would do it even if they weren't paid for it.
  - grey-area 12y ago
    I don't think just anyone can become a great artist or designer and if you think this I think you miss a great deal when it comes to evaluating these skills. I'm a designer, trained as an artist ;) I do agree motivation is key though.

grey-area 12y ago

I'm a terrible artist; I wouldn't try to make mockups if there weren't sites like Balsamiq. Even if I tried, they would be too rough to serve as any kind of spec. The right tools allow more (not all) people to succeed in trying their hand at design. Of course they will never be a "real designer", but hopefully they can accomplish more of their goals without help. This is a great analogy, but unfortunately I think it undermines your point somewhat. Almost anyone can become a great artist or designer, but what it takes is practice, years of practice, and learning from others who have gone before and are working now. There are no short cuts and tools are really the least important element in any discipline, be that design or programming.

swartkrans 12y ago
> Almost anyone can become a great artist or designer I challenge this claim. I don't think just anyone can become a great artist or designer and if you think this I think you miss a great deal when it comes to evaluating these skills. Maybe anyone can become great at Photoshop and the other various tools, but if you don't find yourself enjoying designing, and you haven't had an artistic trait that others have recognized in you early on and you're not making much headway now, you probably want to find out what other talents you might have. I think that if you enjoy designing you should pursue it. I think wanting to be good at something can lead to a high degree of skill because the motivation will drive you there. Not everyone has that motivation and so not everyone can be a great artist or designer. I think the same thing can be said of engineering. People who go into this field to get a 9-5 job and hate the work will struggle competing against people who love what they do and would do it even if they weren't paid for it.
- grey-area 12y ago
  I don't think just anyone can become a great artist or designer and if you think this I think you miss a great deal when it comes to evaluating these skills. I'm a designer, trained as an artist ;) I do agree motivation is key though.