The headline rings true to me because that’s what I look for in designers and how I run my team. The software that we build is too complex and too mission-critical for designers to vibe-code—at least given today’s tooling. But each one of the designers on my team can fill in for a PM when they’re on vacation.
Kai Wong, writing in UX Collective:
One thing I’ve learned, talking with 15 design leaders (and one CEO), is that a ‘designer who codes’ may look appealing, but a ‘designer who understands business’ is far more valuable and more challenging to replace.
You already possess the core skill that makes this transition possible: the ability to understand users with systematic observation and thoughtful questioning.
The only difference, now, is learning to apply that same methodology to understand your business.
Strategic thinking doesn’t require fancy degrees (although it may sometimes help).
Ask strategic questions about business goals. Understand how to balance user and business needs. Frame your design decisions in terms of measurable business impact.
