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Figma announced major updates at Config 2025, including Figma Draw for vector editing, Figma Grid for layout design, and Figma Buzz for AI-powered brand asset creation. Figma Sites lets users design and publish websites in one place, while Figma Make turns prompts or designs into web apps with AI-generated code.
The Netflix TV app is undergoing its biggest redesign in a decade. The new interface features a top navigation bar, tailored recommendations, and a cleaner layout. Netflix is also experimenting with generative AI search and TikTok-style vertical videos on mobile. These updates support its push for more engagement, personalization, and alignment with its growing ad-based model.
The Guardian has launched a redesigned global homepage and app focused on mobile use, blending print-style design with personalized features, and a flexible visual system. Editors now have more creative control, and content is presented more dynamically. It's the brand's biggest digital overhaul in ten years, aimed at balancing editorial curation with easy navigation while keeping the visual richness of print.
In large tech companies, “getting things done” means finishing work in a way that decision-makers value, not endlessly refining systems. Many mistake constant activity for progress, but real impact comes from delivering visible, company-aligned results and moving on. To be effective, employees must know when a project meets executive standards, declare it done, and shift to higher-value work.
Designers often assume others understand the context, leading to confusion. Creative briefs help clarify purpose, business goals, and design problems. They align teams, provide direction, and highlight user behavior changes. By asking key questions and focusing on the “why,” briefs show the value of design beyond visuals and aesthetics.
Design systems are evolving from UI kits to infrastructure. Automation, measurable ROI, and integration with code are now essential. Systems teams must prove value, streamline workflows, and scale impact through tooling, AI, and cultural influence. The future lies in efficiency, not just consistency — design systems are becoming design operating systems.
EZsite AI helps you build pro websites and apps that auto-save to your database, capture leads with AI chatbots, and boost sales using AI automation. Edit every page element manually or with AI using its native database, API integration, and analytics.
Recraft is a premium image generation and editing tool. Store, share, create, fine-tune, upscale, and perfect your visuals.
Stay in flow and build 3× faster on v0, Lovable, and more. Vibesuite gives you instant notifications, sound alerts, and automatic tab switching, so you can prompt, code, and ship without distractions.
Despite long opposition, free pitching remains common in design, especially in downturns, as many clients still expect unpaid work. At a recent Design Business Association forum, leaders urged studios to set anti-pitching policies, build client trust, highlight impact in case studies, and confidently show their value, arguing this earns respect and attracts better clients over time.
Matt Willey and Jonny Sikov designed the identity for Helions, Jack Davison's new publishing house, to reflect the atmospheric feel of his photography instead of a fixed branding idea. The bold, analogue-style wordmark and red and black palette create a quiet yet intense look that can grow with the publisher's ambitions.
Personas are like movie protagonists: compelling, motivated, and rooted in real experiences. Strong personas have clear goals, authentic voices, and relevant backstories. They guide design with empathy and focus. Visuals should feel real, not generic, and teams should avoid creating too many personas to maintain clarity in decision-making and product direction.
Offering compact, efficient, and adaptable solutions for modern industrial and technological challenges, origami's folding principles inspire innovation across space, medicine, robotics, architecture, and product design.
Understanding the anatomy of letterforms helps designers choose typefaces wisely, improve communication, and enhance readability by recognizing key parts like stems, counters, ascenders, and terminals.
Google has released a new ad for its upcoming Pixel 9 Pro that mocks the unannounced iPhone 17 for allegedly copying Pixel's design and features. The ad, styled as a satirical podcast between animated phones, highlights how Apple has historically introduced features like Night Mode, photo clean-up, and widgets years after Google. Critics have called the ad “cringeworthy” and heavy-handed, arguing that its overt jabs lack subtlety and rely on dated competitive tropes.
Pinterest is facing backlash after numerous users reported sudden account suspensions and pin removals without clear violations. Posts across social media platforms, including Reddit, describe innocent content being flagged as “adult,” leading to widespread confusion. While Pinterest allows appeals and cites guideline enforcement, it has yet to address growing speculation about faulty AI moderation.
Midjourney's version 7 introduced the Omni Reference feature, allowing users to insert specific people, objects, or creatures from one reference image into AI-generated scenes. Combined with text prompts, style references, and the weight parameter (--ow), typically kept under 400 for optimal results, it offers significantly more creative control. However, the feature does not support inpainting, Fast Mode, zoom, or pan, and requires additional GPU power.
Figma built a culture that values craft, blending low ego with high care to foster honest feedback, early cross-functional collaboration, and regular team critique sessions. It prioritizes quality over strict deadlines, often delaying launches to refine details while staying in close touch with users. To build similar environments: open critiques to all roles, hire for humility and teamwork, and challenge timelines if quality falls short.
Design recruiters say the job market is tough, with high competition and few roles, though it's not due to a lack of talent. To stand out, designers should show the business impact of their work, tailor applications, stay positive, and focus on strong portfolios over personal branding.
UX localization means more than just translation - it adapts interfaces for different cultures by managing text length, reading direction, colors, and symbols. While maintaining global brand consistency, designers must also address local needs by using flexible layouts and defining guidelines for what elements can be adapted. Important areas to focus on include fonts, icons, content layout, and clear, culturally neutral writing.
From beginner basics to industry skills, these courses will guide designers step‑by‑step through hands‑on projects, real-world use cases, and best practices.
This suite features easy-to-use AI tools for generating images from text, expanding photos, creating videos, or training custom AI models.
This Figma plugin generates smooth transitions between two shapes by creating intermediate states.
Contrast Foundry and The Office of Ordinary Things created a playful, burger-themed type specimen book that groups 22 CoFo typefaces into “protein,” “veggies,” and “condiments.” Using a mix-and-match children's book format, the book invites creative combinations. With thick board pages and rich visuals, it blends typographic detail with accessibility and humor for designers and casual readers.
AI won't replace designers, but those who ignore it will fall behind. As a rapid ideation tool, AI can generate concepts in seconds, replacing time spent browsing, organizing, or searching for inspiration. When paired with human creativity, it becomes a powerful collaborator that enhances, rather than replaces, the design process.
Helen Oxenbury, a celebrated illustrator who shaped children's books for decades, entered the field through necessity and intuition. She learned by observing her husband and honing her own emotionally rich style. Her work brings humor and depth to stories, and she urges aspiring artists to stay authentic, remain emotionally connected, and avoid relying too heavily on computers.
Nacione's branding for Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu mixes history with modern design through an Art Deco typeface, neutral colors, and clear wayfinding to honor the stadium's legacy with a fresh, timeless feel.
Shapes in graphic design send subconscious messages, each with its meaning that designers can use in logos, layouts, and UI elements, especially when paired with color to enhance or contrast those messages.
Hierarchy forms the backbone of effective poster design, with primary messages receiving visual prominence through size and positioning, followed by supporting information and, finally, the minor details
Google accidentally revealed its upcoming Android redesign, Material 3 Expressive, calling the design its most researched update focused on appeal and ease of use. Based on 46 studies with over 18,000 users, it uses color, shape, size, and motion to help older users spot elements as quickly as younger ones. Leaks show UI changes like new status bar icons, clock font, and quick settings.
Recraft, an AI image startup whose red_panda model outperformed DALL-E and Midjourney, has raised $30 million in Series B funding led by Accel. With 4 million users and $5 million in ARR, it specializes in brand-focused image generation with precise logo control. Based in San Francisco, it builds its own models and positions itself between Midjourney and Canva.
Marvel's Thunderbolts title hinted at a twist revealed in the post credits scene where the team becomes the New Avengers. Days after release, Marvel updated posters and billboards with the new title, sparking debate over whether it was smart marketing or a spoiler.
From the iPhone X's Face ID notch to the Dynamic Island, Apple has gradually trimmed bezels and notches. Starting with iPhone 18 Pro, it may hide Face ID under the screen and move the front camera to a small hole punch in the top left corner. This shift could pave the way for a full screen iPhone by its 20th anniversary in 2027.
Industry wisdom helps designers handle the paradox of choice in software design. Principles like Jakob's Law, the MAYA Rule, and Steve Krug's “Don't Make Me Think” offer tools for confident decisions without reinventing the wheel. They simplify complexity but should guide, not limit, creativity.
Airbnb's design turns bookings into trust-based, emotional experiences through smart user experience. It inspires exploration, sells experiences over rooms, highlights hosts, and uses intentional interactions. Every choice supports its “Belong Anywhere” mission, focusing on connection over function. Its design stands out not for looks but for its human approach.
Sprit Fusion is a free level design tool that allows you to craft beautiful 2D tilemaps using any tileset in your browser.
Discover, design, and ship beautiful components faster, without coding.
In today's productivity driven world, creativity is boxed into roles and skills, though it is a universal trait rooted in curiosity. True creativity means seeing differently, questioning norms, and making space for playful exploration like we did as kids. As AI takes over routine tasks, its real gift may be time not to do more but to think more and reconnect with our creative instincts.
AI tools improve user experience by spotting patterns and offering insights, with 78% of online businesses already using them. Benefits include personalization, faster solutions, and predictions. AI works best alongside human creativity and empathy. Start small, solve real problems, and adapt as AI evolves for better customer and team results.
AI may be raising unrealistic client expectations in design. Reddit designers report pressure for instant results, low-quality AI images, and rushed timelines. Some think AI will weed out difficult clients, while others fear a shift toward faster but lower quality work.
Yim coconut water's design uses a droplet “Y,” bright colors, and Thai market vibes to show natural, joyful hydration and stand out in a crowded market.
A 2025 study found that interface design, like button highlights, impacts cookie choices, with about two-thirds of users consistently accepting or rejecting cookies.
Record packaging evolved from plain sleeves to artistic expressions, with icons like Warhol and Haring turning album art into an extension of the music.
Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign of the Clock app has leaked ahead of I/O 2025. The leaks show a cleaner modern interface made with Jetpack Compose. Updates include a new bottom bar, renamed tabs, bigger text buttons, and simpler alarm and timer layouts. While navigation has been improved, features like the Stopwatch's large buttons have received mixed early reactions.
Starbucks is launching an initiative to revamp 2,000 stores, creating a more inviting atmosphere to enhance the customer experience. Key changes include an optimized employee shift app, a new premium service model, and a streamlined menu featuring artisanal snacks and upscale drinks. A new ordering algorithm aims to reduce wait times, contributing to a smoother experience for customers and employees.
Apple has launched Snapshot, a minimalist web feature that showcases brief celebrity bios and links to related content across Apple's apps. Users and critics have found it underwhelming, criticizing its lack of functionality, impersonal feel, and limited scope. Many view it as a superficial attempt at promotion rather than innovation, drawing comparisons to past features Apple released without clear user demand.
Agile methods are often misunderstood and oversimplified as they spread beyond engineering. When scaled across whole organizations, they can blur strategy and ignore core business needs. In today's startup culture, this often leads to skipping deep market research and expert insight, both key to understanding customers and making smart decisions.
True creative greatness is often seen as rare and tied to fame, but many outstanding designers work quietly, solving problems so well they go unnoticed. In a recognition-driven world, this skews our idea of success and overlooks quiet excellence. Real design greatness lies in impact, integrity, and usefulness, not visibility.
Designers often face a gap between their ideas and what organizations can actually do, which can be frustrating but shouldn't be taken personally. Every workplace has limits on change and decision-making, no matter how good the ideas are. Instead of seeing this gap as negative, designers can view it as a natural part of the creative process and value their role.
Carefully chosen collection of brand guides for those looking for a fresh way to showcase their visual identity.