This is about how our team at Zūm works now, not just how I work.
We started with Figma Make to get clickable prototypes in front of people sooner. Today I build them in code with Claude Code, with real data, on real devices.
Research changed first. We test the prototype itself, so we learn how people actually use the product.
Engineering changed next. The prototype shows them the flow, the states and the edge cases before they write a line. Questions come up earlier, when they’re cheaper.
A few rules keep it working. Our design system and early exploration stay in Figma. Product and engineering leads review every prototype before users see it.
One thing went wrong early. Some prototypes looked so finished that people thought the work was done. Now each one opens with the question it’s meant to answer.
With a larger team, I’d add a shared review checklist and hire designers who test their own ideas before anyone builds them.