Our State of the Designer report explores how designers around the world are upleveling their skills, keeping craft high, and turning new pressures into creative momentum.
Hero illustration by Kyle Platts
Design is changing fast. We see (and talk about) it every day, but in our annual State of the Designer survey, we're zooming in and double clicking on how designers are meeting the moment. Our report explores how AI is the tailwind propelling design forward. While designers are still wrestling with new technologies, they’re making AI work for them.
We partnered with independent research firm NewtonX to conduct an online survey of 906 digital designers across North America, APAC, Europe, LATAM, and the Middle East. The survey asked qualitative and quantitative questions in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean.
Designers aren’t just increasing their outputs, but improving them, finding they can move fast without compromising quality. And when organizations prioritize this excellence at a company level, job satisfaction—and performance—trends up. Here, we look at how designers are balancing uncertainty with optimism and using AI to uplevel their craft.
To learn more about how designers are navigating a field in flux, read the full State of the Designer 2026 report.
AI pushes craft further
of designers say AI tools improve their designs.
For some designers, AI’s impact on product design can feel destabilizing, but beneath that uncertainty is an undercurrent of optimism—89% say they’re working faster, and 80% say they’re collaborating better. And despite fears that AI slop might degrade craft and quality, designers are actually finding the opposite to be true: 91% say that new AI tools improve their designs. As they move from experimenting with AI to using it day-to-day, designers are seeing material benefits.
Not only are designers producing better work, they’re seeing their jobs in a new light. Designers who are leaning into AI tools are 25% more likely to say they’re satisfied at work than those who aren’t. They’re also more likely to say they’re driving business impact and helping their company grow. It all points back to AI tools themselves: They help designers optimize workflows, ship more, and spend more time on high-impact ideas.
Craft is inherently human
In an era where anyone can use AI to prompt their way to a prototype, craft is what sets products apart. But defining what we mean by craft is more complex: It means different things to different designers. Designers who connect craft to human emotion and creative outcomes—like polished, delightful experiences—tend to be happier and more successful. When excellence is represented by a tangible output, designers might receive direct recognition for their craft from leaders or even users. “To me, craft means skill, detail, and intentional effort,” says one designer we surveyed. “It is not just about creating something, but doing it with care, precision, and artistry.” On the flip side, those who think of craft as a more tactical approach, like solving hard problems or making tough tradeoffs, might be less likely to get that external recognition.
To me, craft means skill, detail, and intentional effort. It is not just about creating something, but doing it with care, precision, and artistry.
Regardless of how you define it, craft makes designers more optimistic. When leaders prioritize design excellence, designers are twice as likely to feel good about their work. Teams that value craft report stronger morale, faster business growth, and a clearer sense of momentum. Investing in craft—through leadership support, growth opportunities, and recognition—correlates with better outcomes for both designers and organizations.
Creative freedom over everything
Not only do the best teams prioritize craft, they pair it with creative ownership. Designers want a seat at the table: They’re most content in their jobs when they have creative freedom, ranking it the number one contributor to overall satisfaction at work. Eighty-seven percent of designers say that decision-making power also boosts their performance, which many can connect directly to stronger business outcomes.
of designers say that creative autonomy helps them do their best work.
And while designers crave the space for creative independence, they still benefit from clarity. Nearly all (91%) of designers say that clear goals and expectations help them do their best work. Structure is reassuring as AI changes the product design process. You’ve maybe seen this happening in real time: Armed with new tools, non-designers are increasingly able to participate in the design process. And while designers welcome collaboration—90% agree that it’s key to producing good work—these fluid boundaries can be scary. Concrete objectives and a shared vision act as both anchor and compass to help design teams stay on track.
AI tools make things much faster, but the precise designer’s vision is what makes the difference.
Looking ahead
As AI keeps moving the goalposts, design excellence and creative agency are the differentiators when it comes to designer happiness. The designers who will be the most satisfied and successful are the ones who embrace new tools and ways of working while leaning into the core capabilities that define their craft.
To check out more learnings and takeaways, get your copy of the report.
Madeline Stafford is a writer and editor at Figma. She was previously a content marketer at Faire, where she told stories about makers and culture. Before that, she worked in the art world.
