This is going to be an unpopular opinion on HN, but I would say the need for designers is hugely overblown.
Most of the time the only people I hear complaining about UI design are UI designers. Except for exceptionally bad cases, most people don't care too much what their applications look like.
And most people would rather have a working implementation with an ugly UI than a pretty picture/mockup that doesn't do anything.
Most of the time the only people I hear complaining about UI design are UI designers. Except for exceptionally bad cases, most people don't care too much what their applications look like.
And most people would rather have a working implementation with an ugly UI than a pretty picture/mockup that doesn't do anything.