The lines between design and technology have never been so blurred. AI, no-code platforms, and new breeds of design tools are shaking up established design and development practices.As the industry evolves, designers try to adapt: learning new tools, gaining new skills, staying competitive. From accessibility to performance, from design systems to no-code tools, the learning opportunities are plentiful. But which of them are truly worth it?In this session, we’ll navigate the vast intersection of design and development through the lenses of communication, processes, and tools. I’ll share hands-on insights from working with the best-known companies and top talent worldwide.The takeaways from this talk are heuristic recommendations for designers and their managers. We will identify which skills can maximize design's impact:

1. Communication: The key to maximizing design’s leverage lies in better communication with business and tech teams—knowing when to ask the right questions and how to bring everyone into the conversation. I will cover proven methods and rituals, such as:    

* Cross-functional workshops    

* Hot seat design reviews    

* Team trios


2. Awareness: To ask the right questions, you don’t need to code. But you do need to be aware of the right topics. Here, I will explain the key dependencies designers should be aware of to create highly usable, accessible, and performant solutions from Frame 0, rather than as an afterthought. Examples include:    

* How simplifying things can improve accessibility and performance    

* Why choosing a component library before designing UIs is preferable to fitting the library to the UI afterward


3. Tools: Even without any coding skills, the choice of design tools can make significant impact. I’ll recommend:    

* Using tools that help automate handoff, such as Penpot    

* Utilizing no-code and low-code for appropriate tasks    

* Choosing quality icon libraries and visual assets