This is a subject that comes up whenever the question of programming in the design market is addressed. Perhaps, due to the search by companies of the character known as the Unicorn, the one who makes the layout also encodes it, mainly in the area of design for the web.

Whoever defends that it is not necessary to program to be a good designer, generally points out that the market wants to pay you less and make you work more, that programmers should also know how to make a layout and that a design will not be better because the professional who made it knows how to code.

And they are right.

And should they?

My opinion is that knowledge is never too much. That is why I argue that if the designer wants to learn, he should code. This is not going to make him a better designer when it comes to aesthetics. What the code will help, in addition to increasing employability, is in productivity. There are several tasks that could be done in an automated way, for example:

File conversion

You can create a script / macro / action / plugin / extension that exports your project in a personalized way. The softwares default toolset is not always enough for your needs.

Creating workflows

Sometimes you find yourself doing it all again after finishing a certain phase of the project. Perhaps a script can do this for you while you have some coffee.

Creation of plugins / extensions for the software you use

In addition to the benefits of streamlining your work, you can even sell your extension and generate extra income.

Integration with some online service

Sometimes information from a service is needed. If this is too frequent, instead of being just "Control-C Control+V", you can use an API to use that service's data. From statistics to an automatic profile picture generator, for example. And many other stuff that I will not remember here.

Application

This does not depend on the area of design in which you operate: from printing to web. The time you would spend making a script is later recovered by the automation. In addition, you lose the fear of programming and broaden your horizons. Once a script is made, just reuse it in a new project.

Wrap up

It's not just a matter of designer vs. programmer vs. unicorns, but to make your own life easier, giving you more time to improve the quality of your project. It is complicated to learn to program, it requires a lot of patience. But if you have, learn. Worth it.

Ah, but what about programmers? If I have to learn how to code, they should also know something about design!

Truth. It would be great if they succeeded. The fact is that it is harder to learn how to be a good designer than to learn coding from scratch. Use this advantage to your advantage. If you want.