RETHINKING THE SHAPE OF DESIGN TEAMS IN AN AI WORLD

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

The claim that Jenny Wen “broke” the design process has sparked debate, but critics like Sarah Gibbons argue the process isn't gone—experienced designers have simply internalized and compressed it, while skipping it entirely risks weakening junior talent. The bigger concern is that AI-driven speed could hollow out the workforce (fewer juniors becoming seniors) and strain traditional organizations, pushing a shift toward flatter, hybrid “full-stack” roles and new team models—balancing fast, autonomous “atom” structures for innovation with stable “tomato” systems to preserve rigor, skills development, and long-term resilience.