Sil Bormüller

he/him · Munich, Germany

I'm a designer teaching other designers how to build with AI. In 2020 I started Into Design Systems, now the largest independent design systems conference and community for designers who build with AI agents.

I run conferences, hackathons and meetups, I write about what actually works and I show the AI workflow I use as a designer every day. Everything I make is meant to be friendly to people who don't thrive in standard tech conference culture, including me.

Sil Bormüller at his desk

80,000+ members50+ countries120+ events100+ meetups, online and in person

How this started

I started Into Design Systems on my own, from my living room. I did not know a single person who worked on design systems. There was no community I could join, so I put up one online meetup and hoped somebody would show up.

Today hundreds of designers meet at Into Design Systems meetups all over the world, in Hong Kong, Berlin, Seattle, Singapore and Stockholm, to learn about AI workflows and design systems. The meetups and conferences sell out every time and people ask months in advance when the next one is.

All of that exists because I started one meetup alone in my living room. That still surprises me. The thing I built because it did not exist turned out to be the thing a lot of designers had been looking for too.

Now

Building the next AI Conference for Designers. Two days of hands-on AI design workflows and agentic design systems, online. Dates go out on the newsletter first.

Work

annualAI Conference for DesignersOnline. Designers showing how they actually work with AI agents, hands-on, not trend talks.
2020 →Into Design SystemsThe largest independent design systems conference and community for designers who build with AI agents.
recurringAI Hackathon for DesignersDesigners ship a working product in a weekend, most without having written code before.
open sourcefigma-cliTalk in plain English, watch Figma build. Lets Claude Code or Cursor design in Figma Desktop.

Writing

weeklySil ShipsA designer teaching other designers how to build with AI. No coding skills needed.
2026Why design systems are becoming the language of AIDesign Systems Collective
2026The vibe coding stack for design systemsInto Design Systems
2026AI design systems is the skill to learn in 2026Into Design Systems

Things I'm proud of

2020 →100+ meetups organised, online and in personHong Kong, Berlin, Seattle, Singapore, Stockholm, London and a lot of living rooms.
2025Two Design System AwardsBest Event and Community Champion
2025Meetup at Spotify in Stockholm
2024Smashing Magazine Person of the Week
2023Meetup at Meta in London
2020Started Into Design SystemsOne online meetup, because the event I wanted to attend did not exist.
Meetup at Spotify, Stockholm
On stage at Spotify
On stage at Spotify
Design System Awards 2025
Design System Awards 2025

What people say

This community you've created is a friendly place filled with regular people. The design industry can be uptight and elitist, but not here.

Simon Philipson

This conference is sooo good. The organisation, the pacing, the moderators, all perfect. Benchmark for online conferences.

Markus Schmeiduch, Lead Product Designer

I wish IDS had existed when I started my career. I'm grateful someone far braver than me dared to build such an amazing community.

Hien Köhler

You have created such a warm, welcoming and supportive community. Thanks for all you do.

Erika Craig-Rielly, Principal UX Designer at Alaska Airlines

You're a wonderful role model how to serve and lead a community. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Catharina Eckert, Senior UX Designer

I've always loved the infectious enthusiasm that Sil brings to the community. The events are engaging, inclusive and help you leave with a fire in your belly.

Dan Donald, Design Systems Consultant

The conference talks and workshops have been invaluable for my upskilling as a designer. Massive shoutout!

Nora Warschewski, Designer & Creative Coder

Really awesome what you've built up. I've never experienced anything like this before. Outstanding!

Philipp Kanape

Sil is an amazing host, always active in responding to questions and helping generate ideas.

Kelsy Chou, Product Design Student

As a freelance designer, these events are so inspiring! The speakers are top notch world class. Big love to Sil and the team.

Petra Sell, Freelance Designer

Thank you Sil for inviting me to present and create the most amazing design systems conference.

Romina Kavcic

A massive thank you to Sil, the visionary behind Into Design Systems, for the last-minute invite and the chance to be a part of such an engaging evening.

Emanuele Livi

A big thank you to Sil for fostering such an inclusive community and hosting an amazing event!

Nono Saito

Best Design System Conference you will find on planet earth.

Mr. Biscuit

Questions people ask

Who is Sil Bormüller?

Sil Bormüller (he/him) is a German designer and the founder of Into Design Systems, the largest independent design systems conference and community for designers who build with AI agents. He is based in Munich, Germany, and won two Design System Awards in 2025 for Best Event and Community Champion.

What is Into Design Systems?

Into Design Systems is an independent conference and community for designers working with design systems and AI agents. Founded in 2020, it has more than 80,000 members across over 50 countries and has hosted more than 120 events, including over 100 meetups online and in person, in cities such as Hong Kong, Berlin, Seattle, Singapore and Stockholm.

What is the AI Conference for Designers?

It is the annual Into Design Systems conference, fully online and spread over two days. Sessions focus on hands-on AI design workflows and agentic design systems rather than talks about trends. Dates are announced to the newsletter first.

What kind of sessions does the conference have?

Sessions are hands-on. Speakers show a real workflow on screen instead of a deck about concepts, so the audience can try the same thing the next day. Topics range from AI design workflows and agentic design systems to the tools designers actually use day to day.

What is figma-cli?

figma-cli is an open source command line tool by Sil Bormüller. It lets AI assistants like Claude Code or Cursor build designs directly in Figma Desktop from plain English, without API keys or plugins. It is MIT licensed and has more than 800 stars on GitHub.

What does Sil Bormüller write about?

He writes Sil Ships on Substack, a newsletter that teaches designers how to build with AI without coding skills, and publishes articles on AI design systems, agentic design systems and the tools designers actually use.

Elsewhere

LinkedIn · Substack · GitHub · Into Design Systems

Want me to speak, host a session or bring a meetup to your office? LinkedIn is the fastest way to reach me.