Design’s New Deal | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Brian Chesky’s claim that designers can lead products—and even companies—has sparked debate about the future role of product managers. The article examines whether Airbnb’s design-led approach represents a broader shift or an overstatement of design’s independence from business and product strategy. Five leaders from design and product offer perspectives on how these disciplines should work together.

Chesky’s Design-Led Vision

• At Config 2023, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky argued that designers are increasingly positioned to work alongside engineers rather than report to or be directed by product managers.
• He suggested that designers can help drive products and, in some cases, lead entire companies.
• The ultimate goal, in his view, is not organizational status but creating products that people genuinely love.

Airbnb’s Near-Death Story

• Chesky framed Airbnb’s transformation as a story of crisis, recovery, and growth shaped heavily by design.
• His conversation with Figma CEO Dylan Field drew attention because it connected design decisions directly to business survival and post-IPO growth.
• The talk generated strong reactions among designers, including the impression that Airbnb had eliminated its product management function entirely.

The Debate Over Product Management

• The article questions whether Airbnb’s example signals “the end” of the all-powerful product manager.
• It cautions that public reactions may have exaggerated or misinterpreted Chesky’s comments.
• Rather than presenting a simple design-versus-PM conflict, the discussion invites a closer examination of how responsibility, decision-making, and leadership are distributed across product organizations.

Five Industry Perspectives

The article brings together leaders from design and product to interpret Chesky’s ideas:

• Julie Zhuo discusses the importance of deep domain knowledge.
• Steve Johnson argues that design disconnected from business becomes mere decoration.
• Sho Kuwamoto considers whether product organizations should favor creative work over layers of middle management.
• Lenny Rachitsky explains why capable product managers remain difficult to find.
• Yuhki Yamashita explores the value of embracing work in progress.

The practical lesson is not that companies should abolish product management, but that design should have a stronger voice in product direction. Effective organizations likely need designers, engineers, and product leaders to share ownership rather than operate through rigid hierarchies.