There was a time when being a designer meant being the person who “made it look pretty.”
A pixel pusher.
But we’ve come a long way.
Today, design is seen as a critical part of solving business problems, creating meaningful experiences, and guiding strategic decisions. And as we stare down the next wave of change – AI tools, no-code platforms, new modes of interaction – there’s never been a more exciting time to be a designer.
We Weren’t Just Pushing Pixels
The misconception was never about talent. It was about visibility.
Designers have always been solving problems – making things clearer, faster, easier, more useful, more beautiful. But because the output was visual, it was easy to mistake the interface for the entirety of the work.
We fought for research time. For strategic influence. For a seat at the table.
And gradually, we earned it.
We showed that good design isn’t decoration – it’s direction. It’s not what things look like, but how they work, how they feel, how they perform. We connected the dots between user need and business value. We made the case that design is strategy.
And we did all that with Figma open, yes – but with minds wide open too.
So What Now?
With the rise of AI, new platforms, and shifting expectations, the dust is being kicked up again.
Some fear we’ll go backwards. That we’ll be replaced by prompts. That execution will get faster, but thinking will be devalued.
I don’t believe that.
Because when the tools change, the thinking becomes even more important.
Designers are already adapting – not just in how we work, but in where we work. Some are diving deep into strategy. Others are pioneering AI-assisted workflows. Many are pushing the boundaries of experience design in ways that go far beyond screens.
We’re not just solving interface problems anymore.
We’re solving business problems, team problems, even future problems.
Experiences? Strategy? Prompts?
There’s no single future for design. And that’s the best part.
We’re going to see specialists who shape immersive worlds. Generalists who tie together complex ecosystems. Strategists who inform company direction. And yes, prompt engineers who turn ideas into outcomes in seconds.
The common thread?
A designer’s mindset:
Empathy. Curiosity. Systems thinking. Craft.
These remain timeless – no matter what tools we use.
Why We Should Be Excited
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the execution loop – just delivering, never shaping, now’s your moment.
We’re in a transition where imagination matters again.
Not just what you can push live, but what you can imagine, propose, model, test, improve.
This isn’t the end of design.
It’s the beginning of something broader, bolder, and more impactful than ever before.
Let’s lean into it.