"Change is the only constant. But in a tool like Shaper, it’s also a compass," said Suraj Ahmed, our CTO, just before we ran our first real-world test.

On May 22, 2025, three designers — each comfortable with Figma and deeply familiar with modern design workflows — logged into Shaper for the first time. What followed wasn’t a polished walkthrough. It was real, hands-on exploration. They clicked around, got stuck, asked questions, and gave unfiltered feedback- exactly what we hoped for.

We didn’t give them a script or show them how Shaper works—that was the ****point. We wanted to know how easy it is to pick up when you’re seeing it for the first time, can designers work with it the same way they work with their current tools, and most importantly, does the product actually help them do better work, faster?

How It Went Down

Each designer was asked to complete everyday tasks: add and edit components, use the AI to generate layouts, preview interactions in Play mode, upload images, manage layers, and tweak styling. These weren’t edge cases or fancy use cases — just the kind of things any designer does 50 times a day.

We watched closely. Where did they hesitate? What came naturally? When did they smile, and when did they start pressing random buttons, hoping something would work?

Our goal was simple: understand how intuitive Shaper is, and where we’re making things harder than they need to be.

The Feedback: What We Got Right (and Where We Stumbled)

Getting Around the UI

The biggest initial hurdle was navigation. The right panel, which is packed with design controls, felt a bit much. "I wasn’t sure what I was looking at," said Designer 1. Tooltips were missing in some places. And naming conventions that make sense to developers (“div,” “layer,” “container”) didn’t always land with designers.

Still, it wasn’t a dead end. By the 30-minute mark, they’d all started to find their footing. But this told us loud and clear: we need to surface only the most relevant settings at the right time — and name things the way designers think, not how developers do.

Core Interactions: Editing, Uploading, Typing

Here’s where friction showed up. Uploading images didn’t always work. There was a slight lag while editing text. And surprisingly, something as basic as selecting multiple items with the Shift key wasn’t functioning yet.

Shortcuts were also hit-or-miss. "I kept trying to use Cmd+D to duplicate an element — but nothing happened," said Designer 3. That matters because muscle memory is a big part of how fast designers move.

We took that seriously. If Shaper wants to be a tool for working, not just testing ideas, these basics need to feel effortless.

Layout and Spacing Logic

Designers love control — and they expect alignment, spacing, and snapping to “just work.”

Snapping wasn’t consistent. The spacing between elements felt unpredictable. In one case, an element with a height set to 100% didn’t render that way in preview.

"I wanted to stack a few cards and get them evenly spaced — but I gave up and did it by eye," said Designer 2. That’s not a moment we want repeated. We’re already working on it.

Play Mode vs Edit Mode

The concept of toggling between building and previewing your app is powerful, but the execution here left people guessing.

"I couldn’t tell what mode I was in," said Designer 1. Another clicked to drag an element, but nothing moved — they were stuck in Play mode without realising it.

We learned that if Play mode is going to work, it has to feel obvious. Not subtle. Not hidden. Clear, with visible cues, so users always know what mode they’re in and what actions are possible.

AI Magic (Almost)

Shaper’s AI can generate layouts, fix structure, and even style your designs. But for all its potential, the testers found it hard to trust — not because it was wrong, but because it was quiet.

They’d type a prompt, hit send… and then wonder if anything was happening. "I typed a layout request and waited — I didn’t know if it failed or was working in the background," said Designer 3. We realized quickly: even smart features need to speak up. A loading spinner, a “Generating layout…” toast, anything to show progress — that’s now on our list.

[Insert image: AI chat interface with UI feedback state]

What Landed Well

Let’s be honest: no alpha session is complete without at least one “oh wow” moment — and Shaper delivered a few.

The token system impressed all three testers. Changing a style token instantly updated everything connected to it — no need to dig into nested layers or do repetitive cleanup. "It’s like having a design system that’s actually fun to use," said Designer 2.

And onboarding? Surprisingly smooth. All three testers said they were able to start designing quickly, without needing a walkthrough or reading documentation. "This felt easier to start with than I expected. I was editing real stuff right away," said Designer 1.

The biggest “aha,” though, came when they realised they weren’t designing a mockup. They were shaping the actual app.

"This is real code? Like, if I edit it here, it live?" asked Designer 3. That moment, when designers understood that Shaper removes the handoff entirely — was everything.

What’s Next

By the end of the session, we had pages of notes, videos, and Slack threads full of ideas. And best of all? No surprises.

"Every bug that showed up was known. That’s the relief. We’re on the right track," said Sanket Sahu, our founder. These weren’t deal breakers — they were confirmations. The foundation is solid. Now we polish.

Here’s what we’re already working on:

• Fixing snapping, spacing, and height logic
• Simplifying the right panel with contextual visibility
• Clearer visual indicators for Play vs Edit mode
• Better AI feedback — so it’s obvious when it's working
• Adding essential shortcuts like multi-select, duplicate, and undo

All of this is gearing up for the next big step: Beta in June.

Be Part of What We’re Building

Shaper isn’t just another tool. It’s a shift in how design and product teams build things together, in real time, with real results.

We’re building Shaper in the open, with the community guiding every step. If you want to shape what comes next, we’d love for you to join us.

👉 Join the waitlist

Beta launches soon. Be part of the future — not just the feedback.