I agree, and with my apologies for the impending slashes, you can also go a little broader with the statement: There is design as visuals/aesthetics and there is design as problem solving/arrangement of a system. Integration of these two spheres is the key to great design.
In the field of web/app/interaction development, just as you say this largely comes down to the two disciplines you identified: Visual Design and User Experience.
In other fields, such as architecture or industrial design, the problem solving/systemic arrangement side includes additional concerns such as structural integrity, physical usefulness, manufacturability, maintainability, etc.
(And further, architecture places weight on the expression of values, which isn't as much of a concern in screen/interaction or industrial design.)
I think that with a bit of innate talent, both sides of this duality can be mastered and personal improvements made. It really comes down to practice, which in the end tends to be proportional to enjoyment and passion.
Lastly, it's the latter half of this duality that is somewhat similar to coding, or more accurately "pseudo-coding". It's not necessarily an effortless transition however: I can design logical systems and arrangements ADED, but attempting to translate that aptitude into coding skills is slow and painful.
In the field of web/app/interaction development, just as you say this largely comes down to the two disciplines you identified: Visual Design and User Experience.
In other fields, such as architecture or industrial design, the problem solving/systemic arrangement side includes additional concerns such as structural integrity, physical usefulness, manufacturability, maintainability, etc.
(And further, architecture places weight on the expression of values, which isn't as much of a concern in screen/interaction or industrial design.)
I think that with a bit of innate talent, both sides of this duality can be mastered and personal improvements made. It really comes down to practice, which in the end tends to be proportional to enjoyment and passion.
Lastly, it's the latter half of this duality that is somewhat similar to coding, or more accurately "pseudo-coding". It's not necessarily an effortless transition however: I can design logical systems and arrangements ADED, but attempting to translate that aptitude into coding skills is slow and painful.