We brought designers and developers together in Shoreditch for our first Total Onion Tech Networking evening. The format was simple: free welcome drinks, a quick 20-minute talk on how we approach the Figma-to-code handoff, then open discussion and networking.
What we didn’t fully account for was the pub. It was loud, it was lively, and it made a formal talk almost impossible. So we ditched the plan and leaned into something better: actual conversation.
What actually happened
People moved between groups organically. Designers, developers, and QA engineers found each other and started talking – not in a forced icebreaker way, but in the way that happens when you put the right people in a room with a drink in their hand and nothing on the agenda.
It was very cool. And honestly, it felt more honest than a polished presentation would have.
“We found common points, and some things we do completely differently, which is exactly what makes it worth discussing.”
AI was everywhere in the room
Perhaps unsurprisingly, AI came up constantly – and from every angle. Designers talked about using AI agents in their workflows: automating repetitive tasks, exploring variations, and speeding up the parts of the job that don’t need human creative input.
Developers had their own perspective. There was a healthy tension in the room between excitement and scepticism – and that’s exactly the kind of conversation worth having. Not a panel, not a keynote, just people with different roles figuring out what this actually means for how they work together.
What we learned about the format
A pub is not a lecture hall, and that turned out to be fine. The informal setup meant people were more willing to be honest – about the tools they’re frustrated with, the processes that don’t work, the questions they usually can’t ask in a meeting.
We’re taking that as a signal. This format is worth repeating.
We’re building this into something regular. We’re also planning a proper event: a Figma variables to code workshop in our office.
Want to join us next time? Follow along, we’ll be sharing details soon.