How to Use Figma Effectively and Become a Design Master

Figma is a collaborative design tool used by some of the biggest brands, such as Google and Uber. It’s extremely intuitive and easy to pick up, which makes it perfect for designers who are looking to get back into their groove after taking time off, or those new to the industry. Figma has a lot of useful features that can streamline your design process, remove roadblocks, and help you to focus on what really matters: creating amazing designs. But like any other tool in your kit, using Figma effectively takes practice and training before you’ll see its full potential. In this article, we will walk you through how anyone can use Figma effectively with simple tips and actionable takeaways.

Start With the End in Mind

Before you even think about opening Figma, you should know what your design goal is. You’re designing to solve a problem, right? What is the problem you’re solving? What are you trying to achieve with the design? What is the desired outcome? Make sure you’re clear on these points, as they will help you to stay focused when designing with Figma. You’ll also be able to clearly communicate these points to your team members, which will allow them to stay on track and keep the focus of the design. Keep these points in mind as you start to review and select your assets, organize them, and create your design. The more focused you are on solving the problem at hand, the more effective the design will be.

Use Figma Together With Conferencing Apps

Designing using Figma online will likely require you to share your screen with remote team members. This can be a bit awkward, so try to avoid having the team members look at you as you design. Instead, try using conferencing software like Zoom or Appear.in. When designing, you can have a small window open with your Figma design open in the background, while also having a window with your team members in the foreground. This will allow the remote team members to focus on the design, while also being able to see and hear you as you talk through your design process. Using conferencing software will also allow you to integrate other tools like Google Docs or Trello. This will allow you to keep the team members on track and focused on what they need to do. You can also open up your Figma design in the application and share that link with the team members. This will allow them to see your design and make suggestions to you in real time.

Show, Don’t Tell

When designing a new product, you’ll have to convey your ideas to your team members. Whether this is within your team or with a client, you need to be able to effectively communicate what the design is supposed to look like. But how do you do this? One of the most effective ways is to create a storyboard and illustrate your ideas through a sequence of images. There are many tools that allow you to do this, like Figma’s built-in feature Storyboard. This will allow you to create a storyboard that can be used internally or with clients. You can add notes and text to explain each step of your design process, which will allow the team members to see what you’re thinking. This will also help you to stay focused on the main points of the design and keep the team members on track.

Sketch and Prescribe

Sketching is one of the most effective ways to create simple design solutions. But what if you’re not a visual person? Can you still create sketching designs? Absolutely! Figma allows you to add sketching to your designs, which will help you to create more compelling visuals and communicate your ideas more effectively. This can be done by using the pen tool in Figma. You can choose to draw straight lines or curved lines, which allows you to create a variety of shapes. You can also add text to your designs inside Figma, which will allow you to create a visual that is both attractive and easy to read. The Sketch feature in Figma also allows you to import images and photos, which will allow you to create more complex visual designs.

Organize with Tabs

When working on a design, you’ll often want to add assets and visuals, such as user personas, photos, and illustrations. But where do you put them? Figma allows you to organize all of your design elements into different tabs for each section. This will allow you to store all of your visual assets in one place and keep your files organized. When adding a new tab, you’ll be prompted with a list of sections. This allows you to create different tabs for your assets, such as one for photos, one for illustrations, and one for user personas. This will allow you to keep everything organized and easily accessible.

Take Advantage of Keyboard Shortcuts

One of the best ways to speed up your design process is to learn and use keyboard shortcuts. This will allow you to perform actions in an instant and focus on the design, not the tools you’re using. Figma has a large amount of keyboard shortcuts and a built-in command reference that you can access at any time. You can also create your own shortcuts if you want to. There are two ways to view the keyboard shortcuts: you can either go to the settings menu or click on the keyboard icon in the upper right-hand corner. From there, click on the Shortcuts tab and you’ll be able to see all the shortcuts and select them to use them.

In Conclusion

There are many tools out there for designers, but few offer all the features that Figma does. This collaborative design tool is simple, intuitive, and packed full of useful features. With a little practice, anyone can use Figma effectively and become a design master. Figma is a brand new product on the design scene and is currently the most used design tool among designers and entrepreneurs. It’s an intuitive design tool that allows you to create designs easily and collaborate with other team members. With some practice, you’ll be able to use Figma effectively and truly become a design master.