Q&A with Robyn Kanner

At Config 2021, Figma’s virtual design conference, Robyn Kanner closed out day one by detailing her time as Creative Director of the Biden-Harris design team. During the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the team designed everything from JoeBiden.com to the campaign plane—all in one Figma file.

In our new series, we’re highlighting design leaders beyond their work. To start, we asked Robyn 25 quick questions. Watch her keynote below, then read on for her answers.

1. What would you like to bring back: Apple 1990s aesthetic or web 1990s aesthetic?

If I could bring anything from the 90s' back, it'd be Jeff Buckley.

2. Favorite font for UI?

Decimal & Mercury.

3. Type or color?

Both.

4. Hex or RGB or HSL?

All.

5. Describe your creative process in one word.

Relentless.

6. When do you feel you’re at your best?

Early morning, late at night.

7. What’s your idea of the perfect design?

Nothing is perfect.

8. What’s your greatest design fear?

It's just design. Nothing to fear.

9. What’s your biggest design pet peeve?

Tweets about design.

10. What makes a good teammate or collaborator?

Creating space for the people around you.

11. Who do you admire and why?

My mom and dad. Because of them, I'm me.

12. What in the design world do you feel is overrated?

Code.

13. Underrated?

Sociology.

14. What’s one thing you dislike about the last thing you shipped?

Wish I could make Safari better about handling animations. Just don't like being limited by tools.

15. What one design do you wish you were the mastermind behind?

I don't think like that. I got my path, you got yours.

16. What makes a team feel like a team?

Going through shit together.

17. How would you describe your relationship with Design Twitter?

For you, not me.

18. What’s something you’ve loved on the internet recently?

BROCKHAMPTON, BUZZCUT.

19. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want in your design critique?

Michael Jordan.

20. What’s an unsung design that you think is great and why?

Madden. Played most nights before passing out while on the campaign. Incredible game to decompress from the day with.

21. What is the greatest accomplishment of your career so far?

Helped elect Joe Biden.

22. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of designing for a long time?

I want to put gradients on Mars.

23. What does design mean to you?

'NOW.'

24. What would you tell your young designer self about being a designer?

Don't limit yourself to a title. Don't even think of yourself as a designer. Just make things. Let the rest happen.

25. Favorite Figma feature?

All of them. Figma has revolutionized creating. And probably Shift+H.

For more on Robyn's experience as Creative Director of the Biden-Harris design team, watch her keynote. You can also subscribe to Figma’s YouTube channel to get notified when we publish all of the sessions from Config 2021.