Transforming Collaboration: How Design Is Becoming Everyone’s Business
Figma’s VP Noah Levin shares insights on the collaborative design tool taking the world by storm in the latest SAP Design Talk
Written by Anna Radonic Ali, Content Writer for SAP Design
Imagine a world where designers are outnumbered in their own domain. In the realm of digital collaboration, this scenario isn’t just a possibility — it’s reality. Figma, a collaborative design tool, is leading this unexpected revolution. At our latest installment of the SAP Design Talks, we had the privilege of hosting Noah Levin, Vice President of Product Design at Figma. His insights revealed a striking trend: only a third of Figma’s users are traditional designers. This statistic underscores a profound shift in the approach to design, especially in an era where remote work has become the norm. How is Figma, a tool initially crafted for designers, now captivating a diverse array of professionals beyond the design community? This surprising evolution marks a significant change in how we understand and utilize design in technology.
For Noah, it’s all about seamlessly integrating design into everyday life, making an impact that often goes unnoticed. In his talk at SAP’s headquarters back in November 2023, he challenged the SAP’s development community to explore the fundamental aspects of design — accessibility, utility, and usability — with the goal of bringing together diverse roles into the design process along the way.
Design as a strategic asset
Figma brings a unique, visual dimension to collaboration. Imagine a design project where multiple people are working together in real-time. In Figma, this collaboration is visible and interactive. As users engage with the design, their cursor movements are displayed live on the screen. This feature allows team members, whether they are designers, developers, or project managers, to see each other’s contributions as they happen. It’s a practical and engaging way to observe how a design evolves with each input, making the collaborative process not just effective, but also transparent and immediate for everyone involved.
Noah believes that companies focusing on design will be able to build lasting relationships with their customers in the future. He thinks the ability to experiment and make changes is crucial to being sustainable. Figma’s experience shows a focus on design innovation and continuous improvement as key in the evolving landscape of design technology. Modern platforms leverage the power of the web to unite designers, developers, and customers enhancing their efficiency and collaboration. This approach marks a significant advancement from traditional methods, signaling a shift towards more integrated and web-based design solutions that emphasize not only aesthetic appeal but also functionality and user experience. Such a user-focused strategy is essential for business success, as it aligns design closely with customer requirements and strategic business objectives.
Highlighting the key role of designers and developers working together closely with their clients, especially in the age of working remotely, this approach turns them from just clients into real partners in the creative process. This active collaboration greatly improves project results, making it a fundamental part of design excellence today.
Future-proof vision
Figma’s approach to design closely aligns with that of SAP, reflecting a shared commitment to enhancing customer experiences through thoughtful design. “I think that surprised me how similar our jobs felt,” remarked Noah when discussing what he learned from his time visiting SAP’s offices. “At Figma, we’re trying to help teams design great experiences. I think there were many similarities in those discussions, and it was exciting to just sort of see the volume and passion for design there.” This shared perspective underlines the importance of collaboration and learning in the tech industry. It also reinforces SAP’s vision of not just being a technology provider, but a partner in crafting meaningful and enduring user experiences.
The SAP Design Talks regularly bring leaders from the international design scene to SAP. The sessions are held for an internal audience of employees at various SAP locations and are broadcast live around the globe. Visit the SAP Design Talks webpage to see video interviews and more from previous talks.
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