Design is having a plot twist (and it's kind of exciting) Config 2025

I just got back from the biggest design conference and I feel like a kid at Disneyland again. Bouncing between different stages, checking out interactive demos, collecting pins and stickers, and decorating my badge.

Beyond the exciting product drops (more on those in a sec!), what really stuck with me was the energy, connecting with other designers, and feeling the shift happening in our industry right now.

⤵️ Super fun Config vlog is out!

The future designer: less pixel-pusher, more creative director

The designer of the future won't be the one obsessing over button styles and perfecting 8px spacing.

It’ll be the one who sees the big picture, tells a clear story, and knows how to steer the whole thing forward. Less pixel-pusher, more creative director.

And that's exactly why Figma's new tools are so exciting! They're built for this next chapter of design. Speaking of which...

🌐 FigSite

• Publish responsive pages with prebuilt blocks directly to the web.

• What this means for us: No more handing off designs and hoping developers build them right. We can now take our ideas all the way to live websites ourselves. It's like being both the architect AND the builder of your own house.

🎢 Figmake

• Design and prompt your way to a fully coded prototype.

• What this means for us: Code isn't scary anymore! We can try wild interactive ideas without waiting for developer help. It's like suddenly being able to speak a language you've always struggled with – freeing us to be braver with our designs.

✏️ Figma Draw (pen tool got an upgrade!)

• Multi-select vectors, shape builder combining/subtracting, and lasso tool for precise anchor point selection

• What this means for us: We don't need to jump to Illustrator anymore for the good stuff. Now we can add personality and custom touches right in Figma.

🧱 Grid (fancier autolayout)

• Span elements across multiple cells and adjust individual column/row track dimensions

• What this means for us: Think magazine-style designs for digital spaces. It's like upgrading from a basic Lego set to the advanced architecture kit – same idea, but way more possibilities.

🏄‍♀️ Figma Buzz

• On-brand asset tools, customizable templates, and bulk asset creation with data connections for brands and marketers

• What this means for us: We're not just making one-off designs anymore. We're building flexible systems that others can use especially the branding and marketing team!

🌼 Config behind-the-scenes

🌱 Reader spotlight

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The takeaway? Design is getting faster, more flexible, and more about shaping ideas than pixel-perfection. And that’s a good thing.

See you on the internet 🌐,

Marisa | @meshtimes