Figma’s Year in Review: Building a Better Handoff
Figma is closing out 2023 with a look back at a year defined by product launches and a renewed emphasis on collaboration. The company’s annual “Handoff” retrospective, a nod to the often contentious designer-developer relationship, examines how shared spaces and new tools are reshaping that dynamic. The framing borrows from American football, where a handoff is a cooperative pass between teammates, rather than the product development "lob over the wall" it’s become synonymous with.
The centerpiece of this year’s efforts is Dev Mode, a new workspace designed to give developers a clearer lens into design files. The goal is to transform what has historically been a one-way baton pass into an ongoing conversation. As Software Engineering Manager Emil Sjölander puts it, treating a handoff as a continuous dialogue can increase iteration speed and improve products. Product designer Joel Miller echoes this, noting the feature was built with collaborative handoff in mind to remove the traditional "wall" between disciplines.
Collaboration with non-human teammates is also on the agenda. Figma has introduced new AI features in FigJam, aimed at supercharging ideation during meetings. Vice President of Design Noah Levin frames this as part of Figma's broader philosophy: "lowering the floor and raising the ceiling" to make tools more accessible while expanding their potential. The idea is that even a robotic participant can help smooth the edges of work and make shared time more productive.
The retrospective covers seven major themes that stood out during the year, from practical product highlights to broader reflections on workplace culture.
Top 10 things we shipped this year
A look back at the quality-of-life updates and major launches that defined Figma in 2023, capping off the year with the "Handoff Hero" and other standout features.
Shipping hype: PMs on what it takes to bring AI features to market
AI was the biggest story in tech all year, but delivering real value requires cutting through the noise. Product managers from Figma, Duolingo, LinkedIn, and Asana discuss how they identify features worth building and bring them to users with confidence.
36 questions to fall (back) in love with tech
A reflective series posed to 24 product builders. Their answers offer a way to rethink our personal and professional relationships with technology, aiming to reignite passion in an era of oversaturation and uncertainty.
Come together: A multiplayer guide to great meetings
Meetings often suffer from poor structure and unclear goals. This guide addresses pain points before, during, and after the session, offering strategies for facilitators and participants to co-create productive work sessions.
From Slack-lash to Toggle Tax: The new vernacular of work
Post-pandemic work culture has introduced new realities and new language. Figma shares its curated glossary of 15 terms that define the current tech work experience, from communication fatigue to the cost of context-switching.
The art of the professional pivot
Six creatives share stories of making big leaps and side shuffles in their careers. The series examines archetypical pivot paths like "the boomerang" and "the hard left," exploring how they navigate changes in business and personal brand.
Tap into joy with mechanical keyboards
Figma launched a custom collaboration with Work Louder to celebrate the tactile joy of mechanical keyboards. The piece offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation plus a history of keyboard culture from Figma's resident expert, Marcin Wichary.
