Web Directions Year round learning for product, design and engineering professionals

Specification over code, the browser as a capable client, design systems as infrastructure, and the rise of open automation.

A lifetime ago, when I wrote A Dao of Web Design, I argued for working with the grain of the medium. The grain is changing again. Here are four trends that, taken together, define this moment.

We’ll be covering these at our Developer Summit. If you and your team think it’s important to stay up-to-date with these currents, you know where to come.

1) Specification over code

Agents and assistants move routine implementation closer to automation. Our job shifts toward specification, review, and system design. The skills to invest in: writing good specs, evaluating diffs, designing contracts and boundaries.

2) The browser as a capable client

With Service Workers, OPFS, WebGPU and modern CSS, the browser is no longer a thin veneer over the network. Offline‑ready, secure-by-default, and powerful enough to do serious local work—it deserves first‑class architectural status.

3) Design systems as product infrastructure

Design systems aren’t a figma file and a component library—they’re how the organisation decides. Tokens, documentation, linting rules, generators, MCP servers: automation becomes part of the system. Treat it like infrastructure: versioned, observable, and owned.

4) Open automation wins

Open protocols (MCP), portable context, and auditable small agents will beat proprietary black boxes for most teams. Openness increases trust, reduces lock‑in, and aligns with the web’s values.

What this means for you?

• Invest in boundaries and contracts. Your team’s velocity will come from clarity.
• Budget for platform capabilities. Pick two to land this quarter; retire old code as you go.
• Measure learning, not hype. Track cycle time, defect rate, and how often the system helps people do the right thing.

Register for Web Directions Developer Summit and join us November 19-20 in Sydney (or streaming online) to explore these transformations with the people driving them.