I used to think I could just dive straight into coding a new product idea. "I have it all in my head," I'd tell myself, "designing it formally in Figma will just slow me down." Boy, was I wrong. 🤦‍♂️ On a recent project, I skipped the dedicated design phase, and I regretted it at almost every single turn.

What a headache it became! Without a clear visual blueprint, features felt disjointed. I'd build something, then realize the user flow was awkward, or the UI elements didn't quite match. This meant constant re-work, CSS tweaks that cascaded into more problems, and that sinking feeling of "this isn't quite right." It was like trying to build a house without architectural plans – you might get walls up, but will the doors be in the right place? Will it even stand strong?

I now see Figma (or any design tool, really) not as a hurdle, but as an essential accelerator. Taking the time to map out user journeys, wireframe key screens, and define a basic style guide *before* writing a single line of code saves so much time and frustration in the long run. It allows you to iterate quickly on ideas visually, catch logical flaws early, and ensure everyone (even if it's just you) is on the same page. Lesson painfully learned: design first, code later. It's a mantra I won't be forgetting anytime soon.