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IDC Forecast: Design Workforce to Surge by 2029

IDC projects that the global workforce engaged in software design will grow from 107 million in 2025 to 144 million by 2029 a 30% increase.

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UI Design

On September 3, 2025, Figma shared insights from an IDC study predicting substantial growth in the global population of professionals involved in software design. The headline finding: the number of knowledge workers and developers engaged in design is expected to rise from 107 million in 2025 to 144 million in 2029, marking a more than 30% increase.

Key highlights from the study include:

UX design is growing fastest — UX professionals are expected to lead the expansion at a 7.6% CAGR between 2025 and 2029

Generative AI is transforming workflows — IDC notes that generative AI will accelerate digital product development, boosting both the pace and volume of work, while raising expectations for designers to deliver highly usable, visually appealing AI-integrated experiences

Methodology — The forecast is based on a model developed using survey data from over 1,000 IT and business leaders, across various industries and organization sizes, compiled in the IDC Executive Spotlight sponsored by Figma (Doc #US53309325, May 2025)

Credit : https://www.figma.com/blog/idc-design-population-study/

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