Source: Pinterest
You may have noticed that Figma is getting a lot of attention. Do you know what it is and how it may be used?
Although Figma is mostly known as an online interface design tool, it offers much more. It's the most outstanding application for team-based collaborative design projects, if I may be so bold as to say so. Let's look at it!
Figma provides you with all the resources you want for the project's design phase, including vector tools capable of full-fledged drawing, prototype capabilities, and code production for the hand-off.
Figma is a cloud-based design application with functionality and features comparable to Sketch, but with significant changes that make Figma excellent for team collaboration. For those that make such claims, we'll discuss how Figma improves the design process and outperforms competing programs in terms of assisting designers and teams in working together efficiently.
Figma Can Run on Any Platform
Despite being browser-based, Figma has desktop editions for Windows, Mac OS, Linux machines, and even Chromebooks. It is the only design tool of its kind that achieves this, and even in workplaces where multiple operating systems are used, everyone can still exchange, access, and edit Figma files.
Is Figma an Online or Offline Tool?
These are presumably wrapped programs that contain a browser, however, whether that is the case or not, Figma is constantly operating online within those apps.
If you lose connectivity, you may still work on any documents that were previously open. Figma's design tool will save your changes in your browser and sync them when you reconnect.
Is It Free?
As you can see, Figma is practically free for everyone; you receive all of the basic capabilities (such as prototyping, unlimited files in draughts, unlimited viewers and commentators, and unlimited cloud storage) as well as some advanced features (such as 30-day version history and 1 team project) for free.
However, if you go a step further, you'll have to spend $12 per editor/month to have access to premium features such as (Unlimited projects, Unlimited version history, Custom file/user permissions, Invite-only private projects, and Shareable team libraries).
It's fairly straightforward. Begin by using the free plan. Then, if necessary, switch to the premium one. Haha! That is not the case. As you can see, the free plan is ideal for working alone on personal projects or even client work (without collaboration). However, if your job requires a lot of cooperation, the free plan will not be sufficient.
Collaboration in Figma IA Made Easy
Because Figma is a browser-based tool, teams may collaborate in the same manner they would in Google Docs. People who are reading or editing a file are depicted as circular figures at the top of the interface. Each participant also receives a distinct cursor, making it easy to determine who is doing what. Clicking on another character's face zooms in on whatever they're looking at at the time.
Image Credits: Freepik
Real-time file sharing lowers "design drifting," which is defined as misrepresenting or departing from a previously agreed-upon design. Design drifting happens when a concept is produced and quickly implemented while a project is in progress. Unfortunately, this typically leads to departures from the original concept, which causes friction and re-work.
Sharing Files on Figma
Figma also supports permissions-based file, page, or frame sharing (called an artboard in other design tools). When a share link is established for a frame on a page, the user who clicks on it opens a browser version of Figma and loads a zoomed-in view of the frame.
This type of selective sharing, down to the frame level, allows designers, product owners, and developers to share only what is required via bug tracking systems and community software.
When you share a design file, you offer others access to any prototypes contained inside it. In addition, you may connect to a specific page, frame, or layer in your project:
In the editor, open the design file.
Select the frame after opening the page you wish to share.
In the toolbar, click Share.
Prototyping in Figma
Figma is a visual prototyping tool for building interactive system mockups and cross-screen interaction flows.
Prototypes are created by designers for a number of reasons, such as user testing, presenting realistic ideas to stakeholders, communicating intent to developers, and so on. Because prototypes are so important in the design process, the process of developing them should be simple and quick.
Image Credits: Freepik
You'll want to share your Figma prototype with others once you've completed it. There are various options. Prototypes can also be interactive to show the flow of information between many screens.
Getting Started With Figma
Getting started with Figma is easy. Make an account on Figma and you're ready to go. It is also not tough to learn Figma. You receive almost all of the tools you already have. Figma has created a YouTube playlist for beginners. The playlist is available here.
Learn and do some practice to improve your skills. Explore the ideas you have got in your mind, create them as a design using Figma, and build prototypes as well.
Practicing and designing for numerous reasons, tasks and activities can help you become skillful at this tool (Figma).
Written by: Dharchini Priya P
0 Comments