Designer's Coffee #09: Design Engineering, Neobrutalism, UXR Events

Hey guys 👋 

It’s been a while! I had to take a little break from the newsletter to juggle my freelance workload and some life stuff. But now I’m back, refreshed, and ready to dive into content creation. Plus, I’m continuing the freelance series with more behind-the-scenes insights, tips, and lessons from running my freelance business.

Did anyone else sneak in a nice summer break? 😎

Here’s what I’ve got for you this time:

• The rise of design engineering — is it finally time to learn how to code?

• Neobrutalism Trend & Startup Branding? Yes!

• How to simplify your designs & how to find that sweet work-life balance.

• FREE animations, icons and UX research events.

Ready? Let's roll.

🧨 The Rise of Design Engineering

I recently tuned into an episode of Dive Deep with Mariana Castilho, a Staff Product Designer at Pierre, where she shared her vision for the future of design engineering and her journey into learning how to code.

In another episode, Teo Connor, VP of Design at Airbnb, explained why Airbnb prioritizes prototyping in code earlier in the design process.

It got me thinking — is it finally time for designers to learn how to code? A few years ago, this idea felt a bit too much for most designers. But now, with AI dev tools and no-code builders, the question feels more relevant than ever.

I’ve realized that a big reason my freelance career has been successful is because of my diverse skill set, including expertise with no-code tools (like beehiiv) and website builders (like Webflow). As a freelancer, offering a full package and a set of valuable skills can significantly increase your chances of landing more projects.

If you’re looking to grow and take on more interesting roles or projects, offering just design might not cut it anymore. The market’s getting more competitive, new tools are emerging daily, and AI is taking over many of the boring repetitive tasks, freeing us up to focus on more challenging work. But what do you think? Is it time to pick up coding?

Neo Brutalism Trend & Brand Identity? Yes!

🎨 What is Neobrutalism?

Neobrutalism is a design style that draws inspiration from the original brutalism movement in architecture. It embraces bold, modern typography, raw, simple shapes, and sharp contrasts. Instead of gradients, it uses bright colors, dark outlines, and hard shadows. This style focuses on both functionality and simplicity, making it perfect for standing out. I’m using it on my website and in this newsletter! 😅

🤔 Why has Neobrutalism become so popular?

After years of clean, minimal, and “safe” design trends, both designers and users were craving something bolder, simpler and more approachable. Neobrutalism, with its raw edges, unpolished look, and experimental vibe, offered a refreshing change. Plus, it has a touch of nostalgia, reminding people of childhood and those first simple drawings.

Many young startups (like beehiiv, gumroad) have adopted neobrutalism to break away from boring, corporate B2B designs. This style helps them quickly communicate a young, casual, and friendly vibe.

In short, neobrutalism stands out with its bold contrasts, accessibility, and clashing colors — perfect for brands and designers who want to grab attention and stand out in a crowded market.

👀 My new project in Neobrutalism

I just wrapped up a bold, fresh brand identity for Techgroove. I also designed & built their website in Webflow.

They wanted to stand out in their industry, so we leaned into neobrutalism (inspired by my own site) to create something dynamic, fun, and unique.

From a minimalist yet vibrant color palette to playful, energetic visuals, we built a brand that truly reflects their vision and sets them apart in their industry.

Check out the full case study here:

What to read

My favourite articles, case studies, books and posts this month.

Watch or listen

My favourite YouTube tutorials, movies, podcasts and reels this month.

Free Events

There are tons of FREE UX research events happening online during Research Week, hosted by Learners. This is an awesome opportunity to learn and connect!

For more details, check out the LinkedIn post by Alec Levin (Founder of Learners). There are many livestreams, but I highly recommend this one 👇️ 

Free Resources

Tomas Sebastian has an amazing collection of free Jitter templates. If you’ve ever wanted to level up your portfolio with small, cute interactions, these are perfect for making your work stand out.

Rachel How offers an incredible collection of buttery smooth, minimal icons — perfect for interfaces. Also, don’t miss her YouTube channel (250k), where she shares tons of insights on freelancing and design.

Social picks

1. An interesting thread on Poppins being overused & outdated:

2. A healthier success by @uxgoodies:

3. @DesignSpells featured some fun card dragging microinteractions

That’s all for today! If you found the newsletter interesting, don’t forget to share it with your friends 😉. And if you have any cool links to share - drop them my way. 📮 

See you next time!
Kristina

P.S. To ensure you don't miss any future editions, consider adding my email to your contacts, primary inbox or whitelisting it. I promise, no spam - just a good cup of Designer's Coffee each month! ☕