Later Figma, Design Systems Peeps, 3 Options, and Screwdrivers
Somethings Novel — May 23, 2025
Something I’m writing…
So Long, Figma. Thanks for Everything.
A letter from your future self on dropping “UI design” tools…
What if you could design enterprise apps and hand them off to an engineer…without ever opening Figma?
This article, I took a different approach. I wrote a fictional letter from my future self. In it, I look back on how my design workflow transformed because of AI. Reducing pixel pushing and moving toward system-thinking, problem-solving, and creative exploration. The secret? A mature design system, smart AI, and a recommitment to what design is (and what it isn’t).
This isn’t a warning about job loss. It’s a vision of design finally becoming what it was meant to be.
Something I’m thinking about…
When I got into design systems years ago, I had no idea how political it would be. I thought you would just create a few components and people would just come to use it. Sorta like an “Angels in the Outfield” situation. The reality was far from it. The world of design systems is a very relational one. To be successful, you can’t rely on enforcement alone. You have to develop strong partnership and understanding relationships with all the partners, including designers, engineers, product leaders, and yes…even up to the C-suite. The people of design systems are critical for adoption, prioritization, and funding. And, believe it or not, there are lots of strong opinions about how a design system ought to function. You can’t rely on faith that people will use your system. You have to get out there and establish meaningful relationships that form the basis of trust.
Something I’m reading…
Neil Turner wrote a great article highlighting Roku’s design culture, explained in a Fast Company article. Their leaders expect every designer to bring multiple solution ideas to the table for critique and evaluation. Why? “…it encourages creativity, it encourages experimentation, and it exposes teams (not just designers) to alternative designs. Most importantly, it results in better products (certainly for Roku), delivering better experiences for users.”
Something I’m enjoying…
I absolutely love my precision screwdriver kit from iFixIt. I picked it up a few years ago when I had to replace the hard drive in my long-lost 27” Intel iMac. The screwdriver handle is so satisfying. It’s a heavy-duty feeling with a slick rotating base that sits in your palm. It allows you to apply pressure while also smoothly rotating the screwdriver. Plus, the strong magnetic connection holds the swappable driver bits firmly in place. I have been surprised how often I use this kit from changing watch batteries to working on small appliances to regular around-the-house use. I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth out of it.
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OK, chill. There are no affiliate links in this issue. But if you want to throw money my way, you could pick up my short book on strengthening your creativity. Either way, thanks for reading!