I've worked two designers and I'm not sure how much coding skills they have (maybe a little but not tons). What I would say is that I've been asked a quite a few times to code something and the logical details haven't been thought out properly so I've ended up saying "hey this won't work" and having to explain why etc. (also same with particles, some kinda vague description and I'm left to experiment)
As a programmer, it would've been easier if someone had worked out that detail and said "Do A, B and C and it leads to D E and F etc). Would have saved a lot of time and effort (and emails) on my part (but been more on the designer's). In fact I actually felt like the Micro designer in that I worked out all the details while the actual designer was the Macro designer (just the ideas man, if you see what I mean.)
I feel that if I moved into the role of producer that I'd be able to direct programmers with a real understanding of what I'm asking them to do and also I'd have already worked out the logic/pitfalls first.
As a programmer, it would've been easier if someone had worked out that detail and said "Do A, B and C and it leads to D E and F etc). Would have saved a lot of time and effort (and emails) on my part (but been more on the designer's). In fact I actually felt like the Micro designer in that I worked out all the details while the actual designer was the Macro designer (just the ideas man, if you see what I mean.)
I feel that if I moved into the role of producer that I'd be able to direct programmers with a real understanding of what I'm asking them to do and also I'd have already worked out the logic/pitfalls first.