Looking at our own editorial processes, we can confirm that the world of work for creative professionals has changed significantly since the pandemic - and that many of these changes are positive. This is also shown by the current "State of theDesigner 2025" study by Figma, which, based on a survey of almost 1,000 graphic designers and developers worldwide, highlights trends such as remote work and the role of AI. It clearly identifies the key to greater job satisfaction: good collaboration.
Hybrid working: Freedom makes you happy
A big surprise from the otherwise rather grumpy Europe: 71% of designers and 75% of developers here are satisfied with their hybrid or remote working situation - the highest figures worldwide. "The flexibility to work from anywhere is priceless for me," a designer from Europe was quoted as saying in the studio. Globally, 97% of respondents also work remotely at least some of the time, with the lowest proportion in the APAC region. The ability to choose a flexible workplace continues to have a major impact on satisfaction - which certainly has to do with a much better work-life balance, as we often hear in our conversations with designers and agencies.
Collaboration: More meetings, more happiness?
However, an unexpected highlight of the report goes in the other direction: meetings make people happy - at least for the most part. The closer designers and developers work together, the happier they are. Over 84% work together with colleagues from the other discipline at least once a week, and 67% rate this collaboration as effective or very effective. "It's not about throwing designs over the fence," emphasizes Diana Mounter, Head of Design at GitHub. "Good collaboration breaks down silos and improves product quality."
Despite the appreciation of hybrid working modes, creative professionals continue to enjoy constant exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The increasing use of digital tools is an understandable trend, which of course corresponds perfectly with Figma as the client of the study: a proud 77% of designers use collaborative design platforms, quote "with a high level of satisfaction". This shows quite well how technology can bridge distances between the office and home office, as well as globally operating teams, and how it has virtually become the norm.
As an editorial team that is also largely organized as a hybrid, we also appreciate the flexibility - and have saved many an hour that our art director from the Allgäu to Munich wasn't stuck in a traffic jam ...
AI: hype, hope and reality
No big surprise here: Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role. More than half of those surveyed believe that AI will have a noticeable impact on the way they work in the next 12 months. "AI will help us to reduce manual tasks so that we can focus on the essentials," says Mia Blume, founder of Designing with AI. But while 59% are optimistic about the role of AI, only 16% said they already see AI as a transformative force in collaboration - a small but growing proportion. At the same time, 61% state that the impact so far has been small.
Unfortunately, the report does not go into detail about the job situation of self-employed creatives such as illustrators or photographers, whose order situation has deteriorated massively as a result of AI. The 41% of respondents who noticed a deterioration in the labor market also speak of this - the factors here are unclear. However, the majority of designers and developers seem to be happy with existing AI tools and their possibilities.
Conclusion: The future is networked - and a shared vision has great power
The report shows: Collaboration, supported by technology, is the key to satisfaction in creative professions. Whether AI, hybrid working models or digital tools - the design world of 2025 is ready to embrace change and benefit from it together.
What the "State of the Designer 2025" report shows impressively is that the future of design and development depends not only on technology, but above all on a shared attitude. We write about this again and again in the magazine and also see here that the right balance between human exchange, creative processes and technological tools is crucial.
The challenges - such as improving handoffs or the sensible use of AI - are real opportunities to further optimize collaboration. After all, real innovation does not come from working alone, but from the interaction of different perspectives. Perhaps this is the core of the future: a working world in which teams not only work together, but also learn from each other and create great things together.
Click here for the "State of the Designer 2025" study by Figma
