Config London 2025: How Figma became my gateway to physical product design with Timothy Achumba

Summary

In this inspiring talk, Timothy, a design director at Microsoft and founder of Auko Labs, shares his journey from a digital designer to a creator of mechanical keyboards and keycaps. What began as a simple curiosity during the pandemic soon transformed into a creative side hustle, using Figma and Blender to design keycaps and keyboards. Timothy emphasizes the importance of starting with what you know, embracing creativity within boundaries, and allowing ideas to grow organically. His journey highlights the power of small steps, collaboration, and finding purpose in design, leading to the realization of a dream he never anticipated.

Takeaways

• 😀 Starting with what you know can lead to unexpected creative growth and opportunities.
• 😀 Embracing uncertainty and taking small steps can help you gain momentum in creative projects.
• 😀 Figma played a key role in translating abstract ideas into tangible designs, even in physical product design.
• 😀 The mechanical keyboard hobby sparked a deeper creative journey, eventually leading to the creation of a new product.
• 😀 Collaboration and community engagement were essential in refining ideas and making them a reality.
• 😀 Expanding beyond the traditional design process (like 3D modeling and photography) opened new creative avenues.
• 😀 Drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus movement helped shape a unique, expressive design style for keycap sets.
• 😀 It's important to build a strong foundation for your ideas, but being open to organic growth can lead to surprising outcomes.
• 😀 Feedback from both within and outside the niche community can provide valuable insights and help improve designs.
• 😀 The process of creating Motif exemplified the importance of playfulness, freedom, and personal expression in design.

Q & A

How did the speaker's journey into mechanical keyboards begin?

The speaker's journey began during the pandemic when they wanted to upgrade their home setup. They bought a mechanical keyboard, which piqued their interest and led them into a creative endeavor involving designing and selling mechanical keyboards and keycaps.

What role did social media play in the speaker's discovery of the mechanical keyboard hobby?

Social media played a key role when the speaker tweeted about their interest in mechanical keyboards. A friend, Tim Vanam, replied and invited them to a Discord community, which became the starting point for their deep dive into the keyboard hobby.

What did the speaker find most appealing about building their first mechanical keyboard?

The speaker found the ability to customize and build the keyboard themselves to be the most appealing part. They enjoyed selecting the switches, keycaps, and tuning the typing feel and sound, offering a tactile experience unlike their usual digital design work.

How did the speaker approach designing their first keycap set?

The speaker leaned into artistic expression rather than focusing purely on functionality. They drew inspiration from the Bauhaus movement, using primary colors and geometric shapes to create keycaps, each of which presented a design challenge.

What was the significance of Figma in the speaker's design process?

Figma was crucial in the speaker's design process, as it allowed for easy collaboration with others in the keyboard community. It provided a platform for experimenting with designs, getting feedback, and iterating quickly without losing momentum.

How did the speaker transition from 2D designs to 3D modeling?

The speaker transitioned to 3D modeling by using Blender and a specific add-on called the Keyboard Render Kit. This allowed them to visualize their keycap designs in three dimensions, helping them explore different angles, lighting, and keyboard layouts.

What was the outcome of the speaker’s project 'Gestat'?

'Gestat' went from an idea to a real product. After refining the design, creating 3D renders, and gaining interest from both inside and outside the keyboard community, vendors offered to help with manufacturing, making the set available for sale and shipping to customers.

What lessons did the speaker learn through the creation of 'Gestat'?

The speaker learned that it’s okay to start with limited knowledge. They emphasized that starting with what you know and using the tools at your disposal can lead to success. They also recognized the importance of community support in bringing an idea to life.

How did the speaker's second project, 'Motif', differ from 'Gestat'?

'Motif' was a response to 'Gestat' with a more free-flowing, expressive, and playful design. While 'Gestat' was structured and formulaic, 'Motif' embraced color, softness, and movement, focusing more on feeling and spontaneity.

What was the speaker’s ultimate takeaway from their creative journey?

The speaker’s ultimate takeaway was the importance of purpose in driving creativity. They found that having a clear purpose for their work fueled their momentum, and the tools they already knew (like Figma) helped them push beyond their comfort zones to realize their creative dreams.