Design in 2025 Is (Not) Breaking Old Rules. Here’s What Actually Changed
2025 felt like two years packed into one. In this episode, Tyler and Nick look back on the biggest shifts in product design over the past year and what they actually mean for designers going into 2026.
They discuss how AI changed the way design work enters teams, why designers are becoming prototype-first thinkers, and how tools like Cursor, Figma MCPs, and AI image generation are closing the gap between design and engineering faster than most people expected.
This is not a hype episode. It is a grounded conversation about experimentation, caution, and why the fundamentals still matter more than chasing every new tool.
If 2025 left you excited, overwhelmed, or both, this episode helps you zoom out and make sense of what actually changed and what did not.
Here is what is on the table:
🔸 Why 2025 became the year of experimentation
🔸 How AI changed the way design requests come in
🔸 Vibe coding vs. real production work
🔸 Where design and engineering are coming together
🔸 Why not every new tool deserves your attention
🔸 The difference between hype and reality
🔸 What designers should carry into 2026 and what to drop
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More about Tyler and Nick
Tyler: https://www.designtablepodcast.com/hosts/tyler-white
Nick: https://www.designtablepodcast.com/hosts/nick-groeneveld
Hosts
Tyler White
Tyler White is a Senior Product Designer with over a decade of experience in UX, strategy, and business-driven design. He’s worked across startups, fintech, and SaaS, helping teams create products that convert and retain users.
Nick Groeneveld
Nick Groeneveld is a freelance UX and product designers from the Netherlands. He started his design career in 2015 and has since then worked for startups, government agencies, and corporations.
