Current Design Trends

We keep hearing that roles are blurring across design, engineering, product, marketing, and the rest of the groups creating sites and apps. #AI has made this discussion even more prominent. But is it actually happening? We wanted to dig in. Figma research and product teams worked with outside research firms Factworks and Fusion Hill to craft a study on all the jobs to be done in software: Almost all the tasks to get a site, app, or digital product out the door and marketed. It's one of the more exhaustive single studies I've been part of, featuring over 40 1:1 in-depth qualitative interviews and 1,200 quantitative survey responses across 7 roles (designer, developer, PM, and more). While we’ll be publishing a full report on our findings in the next few months, I wanted to provide a sneak peek: 1. More product-building tasks, more of the time. There’s been some speculation that AI means fewer tasks, but we’ve instead seen individuals doing more. The number of tasks performed (like prototyping, visual exploration or project planning) has increased 17.5% in just a year. There’s a reason everyone is feeling busier than ever. Despite speculation that AI would lead to fewer tasks, the data is showing the opposite. 2. Roles are blurry and getting blurrier. 64% of those surveyed identify with multiple roles, going beyond legacy silos like product manager, developer, or designer, and 21% of non-designers consider design as a key part of their role. Static job descriptions are being replaced by skillsets that increasingly touch multiple stages across the journey of building products and getting them in the hands of users. 3. Design is spreading beyond designers. Even among those without a formal design role, 56% of respondents say they spend a lot of time on at least one design-centric responsibility, whether that’s visual and brand exploration, wireframing, prototyping, or mapping user flows, while 95% stated they regularly engage in at least one design-related micro task. The top drivers? Economic pressures and new AI tools. But another major motivator was a desire to communicate more effectively across disciplines. People wanted to learn new skills to work better with their teams. Looking forward to sharing more on the research in the next few months and curious to hear what you all think. And, a special note of thanks to Matt Walker for leading the study execution and Julia Kirkpatrick Hudson for getting us on board with the initial idea.

Microsoft's latest Work Trend Index (based on data from millions of Microsoft 365 users) proves the modern workday is a fragmented, chaotic mess. But here's the critical insight: dropping AI into these dysfunctional workflows will only accelerate the chaos. We need to use AI to fundamentally redesign how work gets done. The data reveals what many of us feel daily, right?? Work has become an infinite loop of reacting to others' priorities while struggling to find time for meaningful progress. ++++++++++ THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM Every 2 minutes: That's how often employees are interrupted during core work hours by meetings, emails, or notifications. 60% of meetings are completely unscheduled or ad hoc calls, preventing any semblance of planned deep work. 122% spike in PowerPoint edits occurs in the final 10 minutes before meetings. 117 emails hit the average inbox daily - most skimmed in under 60 seconds. 50+ messages arrive outside business hours. Evening meetings are up 16%. 29% of workers are back in their email by 10 PM, and nearly 20% are checking messages before noon on weekends. ++++++++++ WHY THIS MATTERS NOW 1 in 3 employees report the pace of work has become impossible to sustain, what with flat budgets and rising performance pressure. Working harder and longer is at its breaking point. This is where AI becomes critical, but not in the way most organizations think - automating existing chaos won't solve anything. ++++++++++ THE FRONTIER FIRM APPROACH "Frontier Firms" are avoiding the trap of just rolling out tools to everyone. They’re looking to redesign work itself around three core principles: 1. Apply the 80/20 rule ruthlessly. Focus AI and human effort on the 20% of work that delivers 80% of outcomes. Everything else gets automated, eliminated, or dramatically simplified. 2. Build work charts, not org charts. Instead of rigid departmental structures, create agile, outcome-driven teams that form around specific goals and use AI to fill skill gaps. 3. Become agent bosses. When ready, deploy AI agents to handle prep work, research, routine analysis, and administrative tasks, freeing humans for judgment, creativity, and strategic decisions. Start small with agents - but get started. +++++++++ WHAT TO DO TODAY: > Audit your interruption patterns. Track how often your team gets pulled away from focused work. > Identify your 20%. What work moves your business forward? What could be automated or eliminated without impacting outcomes? > Pilot outcome-focused teams. Take one project and organize a cross-functional group around the end goal, not dept boundaries. Use AI to accelerate the work. +++++++++++++++++ UPSKILL YOUR ORGANIZATION: When your organization is ready to create an AI-powered culture—not just add tools—AI Mindset can help. We drive behavioral transformation at scale through a powerful new digital course and enterprise partnership. DM me, or check out our website.

The most valuable real estate in your office isn't the executive suite—it's the coffee machine. Google understands this when they deliberately designed their offices to ensure no employee was more than 150 feet from food. Why? Because they recognized that innovation rarely happens in isolation. When Pixar designed their headquarters, Steve Jobs insisted on a central atrium that forced people from different departments to cross paths. The result? Animators talking to engineers. Writers bumping into technicians. These weren't scheduled meetings—they were valuable accidents. As a leader building teams in today's hybrid landscape, consider: 1- Creating "collision zones" in your workspace. Spotify's "fika" areas aren't just for coffee—they're strategically positioned innovation hubs where product and marketing naturally mingle. 2- Implementing "no-agenda Thursdays" where teams are encouraged to be on-site without structured meetings. Microsoft has seen remarkable cross-team solutions emerge from their version of this practice. 3- Rethinking physical layouts. When Salesforce removed walls between engineering and design, their product iteration speed increased by 37%. The hard truth? Your team's best ideas probably aren't happening in your carefully scheduled brainstorming sessions. They're happening in elevators, hallways, and lunch tables when different minds accidentally collide. What "collision zones" have you created in your workplace? #LeadershipInsights #WorkplaceDesign #InnovationCulture #TeamBuilding

The creative industry is undergoing a major transformation, with Artificial Intelligence playing an increasingly influential role in how we create, collaborate, and innovate. From AI-generated art and music to content curation and design automation, the integration of AI opens up unprecedented opportunities—but it also raises ethical and creative challenges. ✅ How will AI change the role of human artists and designers? AI will augment rather than replace creatives. It will take over repetitive tasks and enable artists to focus more on ideation, emotion, and storytelling—areas where human intuition still reigns supreme. ✅ Can creativity be automated without losing its soul? While AI can generate content, it lacks consciousness and emotion. True creativity still depends on human context, culture, and intent. AI is a tool—not a replacement—for the creative soul. ✅ What skills will be essential in this new era? Future creatives will need a blend of artistic intuition and technological fluency. Skills in prompt engineering, creative direction, ethical AI use, and cross-disciplinary collaboration will become increasingly valuable. 🔗 Dive into the discussion, share your thoughts, and let's shape the future of creativity—together. #ArtificialIntelligence #CreativeIndustry #AIInArt #FutureOfWork #Innovation #DesignThinking #DigitalTransformation

2024 is the year logos go beyond traditional design. Here’s how AI and motion are changing the game. 👇 🟢 Minimalism and Symbolism ↳ Logos are increasingly adopting clean, minimal designs that convey powerful messages through simplicity. This approach emphasizes clarity and timeliness while remaining adaptable to various platforms. 🟢 Bold Colors and Typography ↳ Rich colors like royal blue are trending, signifying trust and stability. Experimental typography is also gaining traction, with designers embracing unique, creative letterforms to make logos stand out. 🟢 Dynamic and Responsive Logos ↳ Animated logos are becoming popular for digital platforms, capturing attention through motion. Additionally, designs that adjust seamlessly across devices continue to be essential for brands. 🟢 Integration of AI and Technology ↳ AI tools are influencing design processes, enabling quicker concept generation and execution. These tools complement designers’ creativity rather than replacing them, streamlining workflows. 🟢 Handcrafted and Doodle Aesthetics ↳ Logos incorporating sketches or hand-drawn elements add a personal, approachable feel, resonating particularly with smaller brands or creative industries. 🟢 Sonic and Interactive Logos ↳ Audio branding is emerging as a new frontier, with "sonic logos" enhancing brand recall through sound. Interactive logos that engage users dynamically are also gaining attention. P.S. Which logo design trend are you most excited to explore in your next project?

Design in 2025 is a call to balance Innovation and humanity. Design is evolving faster than ever. As designers, we’re navigating a world where AI, business imperatives, and changing user expectations are reshaping how we think, create, and deliver. But with this transformation comes critical questions about our role and responsibility. Here are the shifts (or accelerations) I believe every designer should consider: 1️⃣ AI: A Partner, Not a Replacement AI is automating repetitive tasks, freeing us to focus on strategy and creativity. But it’s also challenging us to redefine our value. How can we collaborate with AI to amplify human-centered design? 2️⃣ The Commoditization of Design With democratized tools, design is more accessible—but also at risk of being reduced to speed over substance. We must advocate for thoughtful, user-centered solutions in environments driven by rapid iteration and metrics. 3️⃣ The Ethics of Personalization Hyper-personalized experiences are powerful but come with risks. As designers, we must ensure personalization doesn’t compromise user trust, privacy, or well-being. Are we using data to empower users—or exploit them? 4️⃣ Empathy Is Non-Negotiable In an era of data-driven decisions, empathy is at risk of becoming an afterthought. Metrics matter, but meaningful design resonates on a human level. Let’s keep user research and human insights at the heart of what we do. 5️⃣ Design Advocacy in Complex Organizations Organizational politics can overshadow user needs. Designers must hone their advocacy and negotiation skills to ensure that business agendas don’t compromise the integrity of our work. 🌍 The future of UX isn’t just about adapting to change—it’s about shaping it. We have the tools and knowledge to innovate, but we also bear the responsibility to keep humanity at the center of design. 👉 What’s the biggest challenge you see in UX today—and how are you addressing it? Let’s share insights and spark a conversation about the future of our craft. #design #generativeAI #ai #trends

What if every building project was designed to last 100 years while minimizing waste and maximizing sustainability? The construction industry plays a pivotal role in shaping our environment. From schools and hospitals to offices and homes, these structures leave a lasting impact not just on the landscape but on our planet’s resources. Recently, Claire Attkisson, MBA from Colorado Jaynes Construction shared valuable insights into how the company integrates sustainability into its operations. Here are some key takeaways that might inspire us all to rethink how we build and design: 1️⃣ Waste Management Matters: Jaynes Construction has embraced tools like Waste Management's "Dirt Program" and local collaborations with Phoenix Recycling to measure and manage construction waste. This data-driven approach underscores the principle: what gets measured, gets done. 2️⃣ Prevention Starts in Design: Leveraging technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM), they reduce waste by optimizing materials and resolving design clashes before construction even begins. 3️⃣ Energy Efficiency Equals Long-term Savings: Energy modeling is becoming a critical component in new projects, demonstrating how upfront investments in renewable systems can pay dividends over the building's lifecycle. 4️⃣ The Power of Collaboration: Jaynes uses integrated design approaches, bringing architects, contractors, and stakeholders to the table early. This ensures durability, functionality, and alignment with sustainability goals. 🌱 As Claire aptly mentioned, sustainability isn’t a “nice-to-have” but a necessity. By focusing on lifecycle cost analysis and innovative financing models like PACE, even budget constraints can align with green goals. Let’s reimagine a future where every building reflects a commitment to sustainability. How can we, as professionals in different industries, apply similar principles to reduce waste and build with purpose? I’d love to hear your thoughts. What sustainability practices have you encountered or implemented that made a real difference? #Sustainability #GreenBuilding #WasteManagement

Mockups used to take 2–3 weeks. Now prototypes go live in < 6 hours. Early teams are skipping the design step... They’re building real products from day one. 1. FROM IDEA TO V1, IN HOURS Founders are using tools like Cursor, Lovable, Windsurf, Bolt. They’re writing prompts...not specs ❌ Picking domains before naming the product. It’s not perfect. But it works. And it gets real feedback, fast. 2. AI IS WRITING THE BASELAYER You might think this is an edge case... it's not. Last month I ran a survey with YC startups. 20% of their total code is now AI-generated For internal tools, that jumps to 50% No scaffolding. No glue code. Just shipping. 3. DESIGN IS GETTING ABSTRACTED Last week I overheard a person close to Figma say: “The entire design step might go to zero.” Sounds wild. But it already happened before: - Sketch + Zeplin workflows faded overnight - Handoff tools became irrelevant - Collaboration became default We used to ask: “Does this design make sense?” very soon we may ask: “Does this actually work?” 4. THE FEEDBACK LOOP IS COLLAPSING Instead of: 1. Mockup 2. Share a link 3. Collect feedback 4. Maybe build a prototype... You go straight to: 1. Ship it 2. Try it 3. Improve it And that unlocks a better type of validation: - Does this solve my problem when I use it? - How does it feel on a real device? - Can we test acquisition channels today? 5. EVEN LARGER TEAMS ARE SHIFTING This week, Intercom’s VP of Design shared a screenshot. One of their designers pushed a PR. Ownership is shifting. Designers are building. This isn’t a faster version of the old loop. It’s a new one. Design, dev, testing, it’s all merging. We’re not just saving time. We’re removing steps. Some still call it vibe coding. Soon we’ll just call it building. ____ Image credit: @jxnlco

The old rules for product design: - Design screens, then stitch them together later - Focus on delivering pixel-perfect UIs - Add more features to make products feel complete - Follow design patterns exactly as they are - Prioritize aesthetics to make things “look good” The new rules for product design: 1. Design for systems, not screens. Your product isn’t a collection of pages—it’s an interconnected system. Approach design like you’re mapping out a city, not decorating individual buildings. 2. Optimize for decisions, not visuals. Aesthetics are important, but the real value is helping users make faster, better decisions. Structure your layouts around clarity, not decoration. 3. Simplicity isn’t less—it’s focus. Don’t strip away features. Refine them until they guide users to a single, clear outcome. Complexity usually hides in unnecessary options, not additional tools. 4. Patterns are starting points, not solutions. UI kits and frameworks are great, but if you rely on them completely, your designs will feel generic. Adapt patterns to fit the unique problems you’re solving. 5. Design for growth, not completion. Your product will evolve. Design in a way that allows features, content, and interactions to scale gracefully without constant redesign. Shifting from static UIs to dynamic, evolving products isn’t a small adjustment. It’s a mindset shift that mirrors how design is moving from craft to craft AND strategy. --- 🎁 PS - Every week I explore the hidden design insights behind the world’s most popular products. Join the crew & subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/guJJsBaT #design #careers #startups

An interesting trend I have noticed: many of the best PMs and designers I know have stopped relying on their traditional toolkits — specs, mocks, and PRDs — and are simply shipping code. They’re using tools like Cursor, Augment, Windsurf, Bolt, and Loveable to fork repos, build working prototypes, and even submit PRs. This quote from a recent conversation sums up what I keep hearing: “Honestly, I don’t see much value in Figma anymore… I’m better off forking the codebase and using Cursor to create living prototypes.” The reason is clear — AI copilots give non-engineers 10x more agency than before. But are code-oriented IDEs and plugins really the right form factor for this persona? I believe there’s room for a new category of ‘Visual IDE’ — purpose-built for non-engineers — likely centered around interacting with a live staging preview of the app, not code. Prototyping is the likely wedge use case — but I’m confident that a meaningful chunk of software development will ‘shift right’ to these personas over time. And serving them well will look profoundly different from serving engineers. I wrote a blog post outlining: - The behavioral shift of PMs & designers shipping code/prototypes/PRs with AI copilot tools - Why traditional IDEs are likely not the right interface for this persona - What an "integrated development environment” for non-engineers could look like, and the key challenges any such product would need to solve for (e.g. engineering handoff) I think there is significant startup opportunity here — and I’d love to connect with anyone exploring it, or any PMs/designers already embracing these workflows. https://lnkd.in/ggU3RXWT