In partnership with
Welcome back.
Figma just made AI coding assistants smarter about your designs. I spent a week testing their new features. Here's what you need to know before diving in.
Figma's MCP Server Could Change How You Code (If You Vibe Code)
The setup sounds complex, but the payoff is real. Figma launched its Model Context Protocol server in November 2025, letting AI coding tools like Claude Code and Cursor access your design files directly. Instead of describing your button styles to ChatGPT, your AI assistant now sees them.
I connected my Figma library to Claude Code. When I asked it to build a React component, it pulled my exact colors, spacing tokens, and component structure. No more "make it look like the design" back-and-forth.
The catch: You need GitHub connected to get AI-suggested component mappings and auto-generated code snippets. Solo designers without repos can still use it, but you'll manually provide links. Small teams get the most value - once one person sets it up, everyone benefits.
Design lesson: If you're a designer who codes (even prototypes), this saves the tedious work of translating design tokens into code variables. Your craft time goes to the UI, not the setup.
The Real Reason Designers Are Burning Out in 2025
Andy Budd calls it "disconnection from purpose." His recent post on designer burnout cuts through the self-care advice to identify three systemic forces hitting our field hard.
First: purpose erosion. We entered design to solve user problems. Now we're shipping without research, working on pre-decided solutions, executing someone else's vision. Lenny Rachitsky's 2025 survey confirms designers and researchers rank among the most burnt-out roles in tech.
Second: the narrowing field. Many of us became "Figma operators" instead of problem solvers. You're cranking out screens while strategic decisions happen elsewhere. One designer told me: "I used to run discovery. Now I get Jira tickets with wireframes attached."
Third: invisible progress. Early career, you learn tangible skills - typography, layouts, prototyping. As you grow, you're learning influence and politics. But you can't put 'navigated org complexity' in your portfolio.
Why this matters: Burnout isn't your personal failure. It's structural. As a solo designer, you can't fix the system, but you can choose better. Look for roles where you own outcomes, not just outputs. Ask in interviews: "Will I run discovery? Will I present to executives?"
For small team leads: Your 2-5 person team avoids some of this. You skip the meeting layer. You ship fast. That's your advantage - don't build process for process's sake.
Your Portfolio Is Killing Your Job Search
I reviewed 50 portfolios this month. Same mistakes, every time. Here's what hiring managers actually told me gets you ignored.
Mistake #1: No process, just pretty screens. Designers who land jobs show their thinking. One senior designer said: "I don't care about your Dribbble shot. Show me the messy Figma file where you figured it out."
Mistake #2: Outdated tools in 2025. If your portfolio mentions Sketch but not Figma, you look out of touch. If you're not showing AI-assisted workflows (ChatGPT for microcopy, AI prototype tools), you're missing what makes you relevant now.
Mistake #3: No outcomes. "Redesigned the checkout flow" tells me nothing. "Redesigned checkout, reduced cart abandonment 23%" tells me everything. Even on spec projects, explain your hypothesis and how you'd measure success.
You can fix all three in a weekend. Pick your best project. Add: (1) one "how I figured this out" section, (2) mention of any AI tools you used, (3) hypothetical metrics or user feedback.
For those job searching: Hiring in 2025 favors referrals. Your portfolio matters, but knowing someone matters more. Spend 40% of your time networking, 60% improving work. Not the reverse.
Quick Hits
Tried Figma Make with Gemini 3 Pro - the new experimental model in November. Generated three layout options for a client dashboard. One was actually usable. Better than staring at blank canvas. Still need to rebuild anything complex. Figma Release Notes, November 18, 2025
Portfolio platforms in 2025: Everyone's switching from Behance to Framer or Notion. I still use a simple Webflow site. Fancy interactions don't get you hired. Clear case studies do. [Personal observation, December 2025]
Claude for error messages is now good enough for production. I use it for first drafts of all microcopy - button labels, empty states, error text. Still write critical UX copy myself. The 80% it handles buys time for the 20% that matters. [Personal testing, November-December 2025]
What's Buzzing
Burnout Confession: Designer's LinkedIn post about quitting after being solo designer for 2 years got 800+ comments. Highlights: "I was UX researcher, UI designer, and brand strategist. Pick one." Many comments from other solo designers saying "I feel seen."
Portfolio Reality: Thread on what actually gets designers hired - not the prettiest Dribbble shots - hit 15K likes. Top comment: "Hiring managers spend 3 minutes on your portfolio. Make the first project count."
AI Workflow Debate: Designer posted their full AI-assisted process (ChatGPT for copy, Midjourney for concepts, Figma for execution). Split reactions: half say "this is the future," half say "where's the craft?" The truth? Both are right. Tool is 30% of the work. Judgment is 70%.
Forward this to a designer trying to do everything at once.
— Rob
This newsletter you couldn’t wait to open? It runs on beehiiv — the absolute best platform for email newsletters.
Our editor makes your content look like Picasso in the inbox. Your website? Beautiful and ready to capture subscribers on day one.
And when it’s time to monetize, you don’t need to duct-tape a dozen tools together. Paid subscriptions, referrals, and a (super easy-to-use) global ad network — it’s all built in.
beehiiv isn’t just the best choice. It’s the only choice that makes sense.