Signal Transmission #8

The design process is dead. Here’s what’s replacing it

Jenny Wen, head of design for Claude at Anthropic, discusses that the classic discovery → mock → iterate design process is “basically dead” in fast‑moving AI product teams. Engineering speed and AI tooling mean anyone can spin up working prototypes quickly, so designers no longer have time to own pixel‑perfect mocks up front. Instead, she sees design work splitting into two main tracks: supporting implementation in real time with engineers (pairing, polishing in code, shaping flows as they’re built), and setting short‑range product vision (3–6 months) through prototypes rather than long, static decks. ​⁠