[willsmith72]

Hard disagree here. Are you writing production code, or are you building mockups/prototypes?

I don't want non software engineers touching production code. It's too hard, and the depth of skillset for a product/UX designer is already huge.

If you find css and js faster for prototyping and mockups, then sure. I'm doubtful and still yet to see that work in the wild.

[kdazzle]

It would actually probably be pretty helpful if the designers knew their way around the production code, since they'd have a lot more context about what is going to be easy/hard to do. They won't be in some design vacuum.

Silo-ing off code because someone isn't a "software engineer" also feels kind of funny to me.

[acosmism]

it would be useful if anyone in the company - CEO, salesman, designers, "X department" knew their way around the production code so your statement feels funny to me. look at sports - it would be awesome if everyone on the team is a great linebacker but ...

[kdazzle]

I think teammates would have enough context of each others’ positions that they could play the part if necessary, even if theyre not as good. They might even appreciate the skills gaps. So I think sports holds.

[jamil7]

I know you're joking but I've worked in very engineering-heavy startups where this was the case and almost everyone had to write some code, production or not.

[seanhunter]

Hard counterdisagree here. To just have a blanket rule preventing "non-software engineers" from making production changes is completely arbitrary and suggests you may be lacking a rigorous process for determining which changes are actually important and ensuring they get proper review (no matter who made them). If you had a good process there's no reason anyone at all shouldn't be able to propose changes to production code.

What makes someone a software engineer in your scenario? I myself have worked as a software engineer for about 30 years at this point and have a degree and postgrad in Jazz, contemporary and popular music[1]. My work in software has encompassed writing software where making a mistake would have very significant real-world impacts[2].

I have worked with designers who are much more capable at making certain changes to production code than some titular software engineers.

Lots of changes to production code are not hard at all. I would go so far as to say the vast majority in fact.

[1] I can't play any more due to RSI which means I am now professionally qualified to explain to you why Steely Dan is the best pop band ever and harmonize things in 5 parts in the style of Duke Ellington and not much else.

[2] eg pricing, risk and decision-making with very large amounts of money on the line and even doing data analysis in regulatory and criminal investigations.