Hard problems are still hard: A story about the tools that change and the work that doesn't

A Figma designer-turned-product manager reflects on seven years of building prototyping tools and how AI is reshaping that work.

• •Nikolas Klein transitioned from product designer to product manager at Figma, focusing on interactive prototyping tools since 2018.
• •He now works as a PM on Figma Make, Figma's AI-powered product.
• •The piece is part of Figma's 'Maker Stories' series exploring personal journeys in product and design.
• •Related work includes building spring animations, multi-edit features, and code layers that merge design and development on one canvas.
• •The broader theme questions what it means to be a designer or PM as AI blurs the boundaries between design, development, and product roles.