September 9, 2026

Issue no.18: Show your work

Figma

Three people hold up a poster that shows diagrams, arrows, and doodles

True collaboration isn’t always comfortable.

Share Issue no.18: Show your work

Illustrations by Hannah Schrage

You have to be willing to share the messy parts of the process—the rough sketches, the unresolved questions—so others can build on those ideas. In that spirit, we’re taking you behind the scenes at Figma to share the human side of building with AI.

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Collage showing Config sculptures, abstract shapes, and an illustrated hibiscus flower

1. Digital tools make it easy to produce something slick—but for Config 2026, our Brand Studio used Figma Make to help create a visual language that was perfectly imperfect

Digital tools, human expression: The visual identity behind Config 2026

Here’s how Figma’s Brand Studio designed a conference that captured the very human ways we remix and reinvent when working with AI tools.

2. We’ve all heard how AI is shifting responsibilities, but what does that actually look like? An engineer, designer, and product manager share how building nested folders in Figma gave them a new outlook on their roles

Abstract digital illustration featuring vivid gradients of neon green, electric blue, purple, pink, orange, and yellow. Five stacked geometric shapes resembling stylized windows or cards ascend diagonally from the lower left to the upper right, each paired with a large curved white arch. A small iridescent sphere floats above the top shape. Soft, sweeping bands of color and subtle grain create a luminous, futuristic atmosphere with no text or people.

Code, craft, and the making of nested folders

From treating code as a proposal to turning handoffs into conversations, here's how we shaped a new way of working to ship nested folders.

3. Product Designer Rogie King was on a mission to bring shaders to Figma—but first, he had to assemble the right team. Here’s what it took to ship generative tools: an airtight pitch, a prototype-first process, and a passion that was contagious

Behind the build: Generative plugins and shaders at Figma

Starting today, you’ll have more creative control over generative plugins and shaders, and a way to share what you’ve made with the community. Product Designer Rogie King tells the story of how we got here.

4. We built the AI sentiment index to measure how the industry is changing, how we feel about it, and what it means for the future of design. Researcher Shane Johnston breaks down how AI helped make sense of a huge amount of data