Designers & Developers—Partners, Not Opponents!

Ever felt like designers and developers are speaking different languages? Like Figma files turn into a puzzle that developers have to decode? Or that the “handoff” feels more like a game of broken telephone than a smooth transition?

We’ve all been there! But great products aren’t built in silos. Design and development are two sides of the same coin, and when these teams collaborate effectively, magic happens!

That’s exactly why we’re bringing you Pixel to Code: Cracking the Designer-Developer Collab Code! A fun, engaging, and no-BS discussion on how to turn friction into flow.

Expect to hear about:

✅ Breaking down the myths—What designers & developers think about each other.

✅ From handoff to handshake—Why the traditional “handoff” mindset is broken and what to do instead.

✅ Design systems as the bridge—How a great design system brings both worlds together.

✅ Real-world workflows & tools—What works (and what doesn’t) when teams work together.

Who Should Attend?

This event is for anyone who touches design or development, whether you’re:

👩‍🎨 A designer who wants to make life easier for developers (and get their designs built right!).

👨‍💻 A developer who wants smoother workflows and fewer last-minute surprises.

⚡ A product manager who wants better cross-functional collaboration in their team.

📢 A design or dev leader looking for fresh strategies to align teams.

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking:

🧐 “Why doesn’t the final build match my Figma design?”

🤔 “Why do developers keep asking for specs I’ve already provided?”

😅 “Why do designers keep pushing for things that aren’t technically feasible?”

Then trust us—you need to be at this event!

Meet the Speakers 🎙️

We’ve got two powerhouse experts who live and breathe this collaboration every day:

🔥 Rifan Thamrin – Design System Lead at BUPA

🔥 Brandon Mikel – Design System Engineering Lead at AGL/Propel Ventures

Event Agenda ✅

5:00PM - 5:45PM: Doors open + Registration + Networking

5:50PM - 6:00PM: Welcome remarks

6:00PM - 7:15PM: Sessions: "Pixel to Code: Cracking the Designer-Developer Collab Code!"

7:00PM - 7:15PM: Fun Quiz & Prizes + Outro

7:15PM - 8:30PM: Networking

9:00PM: Event ends

Where and When 📅

📍 Where: BUPA (33 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000)

📅 When: March 13 from 5:00 PM

🎟 RSVP Now! (Spots are limited)

Register soon as seats are limited. We'll be placing you on a waitlist before approving registrations based on capacity.

Don’t miss out—let’s build bridges, not silos! 🙌💡

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About Friends of Figma, Melbourne

Friends of Figma, Melbourne, or FoF Melbourne is one of the official user groups of Figma.

The group is run by Figma Community Advocates based in Melbourne, as a way to bring folks together for meetups and sharing sessions to discuss topics related to Figma and the field of product design. We believe in open design and providing resources and access to everyone to facilitate learning and contribute to the local, regional as well as global design community.

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Join the community at: https://friends.figma.com/melbourne/

If you're interested in hosting an event, or just have feedback or a topic you'd like us to address, feel free to reach out to us at figma.melbourne@gmail.com

Find us on Linkedin, Instagram, and X

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Figma Community Code of Conduct

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Screenshots and Video Consent

We may take photos and videos during the event for the Figma Meetup group. By coming to the meetup, you give consent to take pictures and videos of you.

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