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The simple answer is of course you will need to understand code to make an app that does and looks as you in-vision. I am assuming that you have some good ideas for apps and simply want to implement those ideas. My suggestion (besides the obvious things like own a mac, install Xcode and sign up as a developer with Apple) is to do some of the tutorials you see on this site and others like it. This way you will have some rudimentary knowledge of what a programmer is going through to develop an app. Most of the tutorials on the web are very simple and are at a very low level of useability, they are mainly helpful in just finding your way around Xcode and such. As you try to build on them you will find there are better ways to do many of the same things that suit your purpose. Only a programmer is going to recognize this. So, then find a programmer that can be convinced you are someone worth working with who has a wealth of good ideas and can help move the process along. Either pay him, or work with him for a split in the revenue. If you are a competent graphic artist and can do all the graphics then you will additionally be invaluable to the programmer. Who may have his own ideas and you can fulfill his needs as well. A partnership. Work in sessions using iChat so you can see the programmer's work and he can request graphics…I use a secondary computer to generate the graphics and then pass them to him real time while working in Ichat on my other computer.  The more you understand about programming, the better. So either get a book or take a course in basic, C++, and of course Objective C.  Even if you fail miserably you will be able to have some small understanding that will allow you to discuss your ideas and work along with a programmer. If you don't take the time to educate yourself, then maybe you won't be taken as seriously. Unless of course you have a wad of cash and just want to build a group to do it for you, in which case you don't need to learn any of this…just be a spectacular business man with some great ideas. Just my 2 cents.

I'd add a few things – with no programming experience there is a LOT to learn to get where you want to be. So with that in mind this is probably not something you can accomplish by putting in a few hours here and there. However if you can and will dedicate almost every spare hour to it, or if you are not working/going to school then simply the majority of your time, then you can achieve this. Programming in general is a very time intensive process.

I'd suggest starting with some introductory texts on C or C++ and learning that. then moving to objective C. One problem is that I havent found a single introductory level book on objective C. Apress ( publisher ) is coming out with “Learning objective C on the Mac” in  a few days – this may or may not be introductory level. You will certainly find Brandons tutorials here worthwhile ( they are some of the best on the web ), however they do not teach programming.

Taking a programming class will be beneficial – although you can actually learn faster from a good book and just putting in the time yourself rather than proceeding at the pace of the class.