We just wrapped up another amazing leadership summit where we had the chance to dive deep into some of the most pressing topics in digital production and the future of design. A huge thank you to all of our attendees, panelists, and speakers for making it such a valuable and insightful experience!
Some of the key takeaways include...
⚖ Scaling Product Ecosystems
We learned how to balance consistency, flexibility, and speed with insights from Alison Joseph, Elyse Holladay, and Adriana Morales.
👩🎨 The Evolving Role of Designers
Nick Hahn led a discussion on how designers are shifting from creators to curators, and how AI and automation will impact the future of design careers.
⏳ Design Systems’ Impact
We explored the role of design systems in driving efficiency and consistency across digital experiences. This includes how companies like H-E-B are using design systems to solve real business problems and streamline workflows.
🌶 Hot Takes
During our closing workshop, Alissa Lukovics, M.Ed, Nick Hahn, Robin Cannon, and Scott Strubberg facilitated group sharing of some great ideas on how to enhance collaboration, improve adoption, and measure success... memes included, of course.
And here’s some cool, not-so-typical stuff that came up:
🎨 Design-Dev Translation
There’s real value in people who can “speak both languages.” This ties directly to how we’re using Knapsack to bridge gaps and enable collaboration between design and engineering teams.
💡 Beyond ROI
Design systems aren’t just about efficiency—they’re about making work better. Some "soft wins" include:
Happier, more aligned teams
Empowering quieter folks to contribute
Positive vibes across teams
Collaboration that’s actually fun!
🛠️ Real-World Accessibility
Some eye-opening thoughts on how accessibility isn’t just passing automated checks:
Components might pass tests on their own but break when combined.
Screen reader users experience sites in ways we often overlook.
Actual user testing (shoutout to H-E-B for using Fable) > relying solely on automation.
From group discussions to personal reflections, it is ALWAYS inspiring to connect with such a passionate community of design, engineering, and product professionals. Thank you, Austin! 🤠 ❤️
Looking forward to continuing the conversation and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve together in digital production. Let’s keep the momentum going - Next up, ATL here we come!
Apply for the next summit here: https://lnkd.in/e2_YDeKW