The Future of Design: HeRoP at Config 2025

Representing the HeRoP Lab and the University of Illinois, our Senior Product Designer, Shubham Kumar, was at the annual Figma conference held in San Francisco, California. The 3-day conference highlighted the directions in which the design industry is heading and what it means for organizations to push the boundaries of design. Here are some of Shubham’s key takeaways:

🧭 Design means different things to different people:
Embracing diverse perspectives and understanding varied approaches is crucial, whether you’re a seasoned professional or approaching design informally. Like personal style, design solutions don’t always have a one-size-fits-all approach.

⛰ Design is timeless:
With the reshaping of the design and tech industry, along with the world changing at large, it’s okay to have complex feelings. The recency bias with AI has pushed the industry to forget how design has evolved over a large timescale. While digital and AI design are cutting edge, the fundamental purpose of design – to tell stories, solve problems, and convey meaning – is ancient and enduring.

✨ Environment is key:
San Francisco sets a great example. If you don’t have that backdrop, it may be worthwhile to start an informal design group in your area. Try conducting a design workshop with your colleagues to test incorporating simple design techniques into their work or join a non-profit to work with other bright minds.

👋 Figure out your presentation style, based on you:

Whether networking casually or presenting to a large audience, your aura is unique. Leaning into your authentic self – whether you’re naturally goofy, humorous, or serious – makes your communication more memorable and impactful. While we can always improve, it is beautiful to be your authentic self.

We’re excited to bring these insights back from Config 2025 to inform and elevate our ongoing work at the HeRoP Lab, as we continue to explore and apply innovative design principles in research.What aspects of the future of design are you most curious about? Let us know in the comments!