Appreciate this write up!! IMO an under discussed aspect of this is that the industry has lost any interest it once had in apprenticeship. Anyone at the "top" is there because someone took a chance on them early in their career, and we should all be paying that forward. How do we expect to have an abundance of good, senior designers if we're not willing to train them?
Apprenticeship is a byproduct of useful knowledge being held by a minority. Today, we have tools that teach you how to use them in plain English, and deep tacit knowledge about techniques, skills, or methodologies have never been more accessible. Being a high-agency designer doesn’t just mean getting work done without direction; it means actively learning on your own and teaching yourself new skills to improve your craft (or value, in a capitalist framework).
It used to be that financial class, academic access, and nepotism were the main keys to gated knowledge but that’s changing... the era of gatekeeping is ending, and the people who are thriving are the ones who are are moving on their own
I don't think we're talking about mutually exclusive things! Learning on your own and learning from people more experienced than you are both valuable.
I think the expectations are simply higher for people in apprentice roles: they should be, and are, tackling more complex, higher-order problems from day 1.
This is good. The sooner we all accept this, the faster the hiring policies will continue adapt; and the sooner we stop wasting time honing skills that don't matter anymore, the faster we can ship non-slop products!
P.s. I'm not a designer but using we for any creator, very similar
Great insights! I also believe that designers who showcase their personal projects are more appreciated than those who have created lengthy case studies in a corporate setting. I've experienced this shift myself and need to update my own portfolio.
Kind of reminds me of Scott Belsky's prediction for "proof of craft". With ai slop, people are going to wanna see artists craftsmanship and the process will be part of the end product. Great article!
I think a LOT of designers are still stuck in Figma, Figma Make, and Lovable. I barely see anyone really toughing it out to get into Claude Code. Not saying there aren't those who are, but on a grand scale most aren't. Even beyond the act of making and shipping, a LOT of designers who were told to make the experience incredible are struggling with product sensibility. Many senior design managers have been so out of craft they can barely get back to IC work. Many senior ICs who are adept in Figma aren't really pushing the boundaries on product thinking. It's a mess.
This is great! I'd love to see more of a breakdown based on entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level as well. As someone 8+ years into my design career, I have a lot of recent grads asking me advice on how to break into the industry. They can't prove they've successfully shipped anything because they've never been given the chance. While AI slop is removing the scut work and production work, it's also removing those entry-level positions. Who needs a 22 year old to make Instagram posts when Canva exists?
I've thought about this a lot, and I come to the same question, and then the question I try to remind myself is - why does a 22 year old want to constrain their outputs to Instagram posts for brands? Having a bigger impact is no longer something that's just unrealistic aspiration.
Appreciate this write up!! IMO an under discussed aspect of this is that the industry has lost any interest it once had in apprenticeship. Anyone at the "top" is there because someone took a chance on them early in their career, and we should all be paying that forward. How do we expect to have an abundance of good, senior designers if we're not willing to train them?
Apprenticeship is a byproduct of useful knowledge being held by a minority. Today, we have tools that teach you how to use them in plain English, and deep tacit knowledge about techniques, skills, or methodologies have never been more accessible. Being a high-agency designer doesn’t just mean getting work done without direction; it means actively learning on your own and teaching yourself new skills to improve your craft (or value, in a capitalist framework).
It used to be that financial class, academic access, and nepotism were the main keys to gated knowledge but that’s changing... the era of gatekeeping is ending, and the people who are thriving are the ones who are are moving on their own
I don't think we're talking about mutually exclusive things! Learning on your own and learning from people more experienced than you are both valuable.
I think the expectations are simply higher for people in apprentice roles: they should be, and are, tackling more complex, higher-order problems from day 1.
This is good. The sooner we all accept this, the faster the hiring policies will continue adapt; and the sooner we stop wasting time honing skills that don't matter anymore, the faster we can ship non-slop products!
P.s. I'm not a designer but using we for any creator, very similar
"wasting time honing skills that don't matter anymore"...which skills are you referring to?
Great insights! I also believe that designers who showcase their personal projects are more appreciated than those who have created lengthy case studies in a corporate setting. I've experienced this shift myself and need to update my own portfolio.
Kind of reminds me of Scott Belsky's prediction for "proof of craft". With ai slop, people are going to wanna see artists craftsmanship and the process will be part of the end product. Great article!
I think a LOT of designers are still stuck in Figma, Figma Make, and Lovable. I barely see anyone really toughing it out to get into Claude Code. Not saying there aren't those who are, but on a grand scale most aren't. Even beyond the act of making and shipping, a LOT of designers who were told to make the experience incredible are struggling with product sensibility. Many senior design managers have been so out of craft they can barely get back to IC work. Many senior ICs who are adept in Figma aren't really pushing the boundaries on product thinking. It's a mess.
I agree… I have seen that speed is a huge differentiator and something my boss talks about a lot. Not ideal obviously!
Really good read. Thank you! It's helping me re-frame the job search from a dreading boring task into creative problem-solving
This is great! I'd love to see more of a breakdown based on entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level as well. As someone 8+ years into my design career, I have a lot of recent grads asking me advice on how to break into the industry. They can't prove they've successfully shipped anything because they've never been given the chance. While AI slop is removing the scut work and production work, it's also removing those entry-level positions. Who needs a 22 year old to make Instagram posts when Canva exists?
I've thought about this a lot, and I come to the same question, and then the question I try to remind myself is - why does a 22 year old want to constrain their outputs to Instagram posts for brands? Having a bigger impact is no longer something that's just unrealistic aspiration.