Advantages of Figma as a UI/UX Design Tool

Photo by Alexander Shatov On Unsplash

A UI/UX designer is surely familiar with Figma as a design tool—a cloud-based design platform similar to Sketch in terms of features and functions. However, what makes Figma significantly better is its team collaboration capabilities.

For those who are skeptical of that claim, Mangcoding will explain how Figma simplifies the design process and is more effective than other programs in helping designers and teams work efficiently together. In this article, we’ll discuss the advantages of Figma as a UI/UX design tool. Let’s begin!

To get a closer look at Figma, take a look at the image below!

Figma runs on any operating system that supports a web browser. Mac, Windows PC, Linux, and even Chromebooks can use Figma. It’s the only design tool of its kind that can do this.

In many companies, designers use Macs while developers use Windows PCs. So how does Figma help bring these groups together?

Figma’s universal nature prevents the “PNG-pong” back-and-forth of updated images between design team disciplines. In Figma, there’s no need for a mediator to make design work accessible to everyone.

Since Figma is browser-based, teams can collaborate just like they do on Google Docs. Viewers and editors of a file appear at the top of the app as circular avatars.

Everyone also has a named cursor, making it easy to track who’s making changes.

Real-time file collaboration helps reduce “design drift”—where designs deviate from the agreed concept during a project.

With Figma, design leads can monitor what the team is working on in real-time by simply opening the shared file. If misunderstandings arise, design leads can correct the course and save time.

Although some designers may feel uncomfortable being “watched” while working, design leads should explain the benefits. Most designers quickly see the value and adapt easily to this shared environment.

Figma integrates with Slack. When a Figma channel is set up in Slack, every comment or design edit made in Figma is sent to the team via Slack notifications.

This is especially useful during live design sessions, as updates are instantly reflected wherever the file is embedded.

Figma allows permission-based sharing of files, pages, or frames (commonly referred to as artboards in other design tools). Shared links open the Figma browser version for easy access.

This selective sharing allows designers, product owners, and developers to share exactly what’s needed in bug trackers or community software like Confluence or SharePoint.

Figma also offers live embedding via code snippets to paste iFrames into third-party tools. For example, embedded mockups in Confluence automatically update whenever changes are made in Figma—there’s no need to re-upload.

The impact of this feature on the UX process is illustrated in the following diagram:

Before Figma, several other tools were used to facilitate mockup exchanges and design updates. The iteration cycle consisted of a series of back-and-forth file updates, allowing the team to review and implement the current design.

After Figma, third-party tools are no longer necessary (although they can still be used if desired). Since Figma handles the functionality of the previously mentioned third-party tools, there is only one step in the process—moving from sketches to Figma, and all groups have the latest mockups. There is no “handoff” in the strictest sense of the word.

How does Figma work to support the team? When there are in-app comments in design and prototyping modes, the comment threads are tracked in Slack and/or email. There is no need to publish PNG files or make constant updates to get feedback from the team using third-party tools like InVision or Marvel.

During design reviews, the team’s designers can discuss their work on a big screen, take notes on comments, and resolve issues all within Figma. This form of direct feedback is not possible with Sketch, which requires uploading to a cloud service to gather team input.

Figma provides code snippets in CSS, iOS, or Android formats for any selected frame or object, helping developers extract necessary information directly from the design file—without third-party tools.

For advanced needs, Figma also integrates with Zeplin.

Since Figma is an online application, it manages file organization by displaying projects and their files in a dedicated view. Figma also supports multiple pages per file, similar to Sketch, allowing teams to logically organize their projects, such as:

• Create projects for feature themes.
• Make files for major epics.
• Use pages for individual users or sections.

This is just one method of organizing files, which can be made more or less detailed depending on the process requirements.

Figma’s developer API enables integration with browser-based applications. Companies use this to showcase live design files across their platforms.

For example, Uber displays live design files on screens throughout their offices. Atlassian’s JIRA has a Figma add-on, ensuring product owners and developers always see the latest mockups.

Additionally, the Figma API supports third-party plugin requests and feature enhancements, similar to Sketch’s plugin system.

Figma’s built-in versioning system helps manage file updates. Designers can create named versions with descriptions after significant changes, protecting live files until deliberate updates are made.

Previous versions can also be restored, duplicated, or overwritten as needed.

Figma goes beyond basic artboard-to-artboard prototyping by offering smooth transitions between frames.

This eliminates the need for separate slideshow-style prototyping tools like InVision or Marvel. Simple presentations and feedback are handled directly in Figma.

Prototypes are shared just like design files, and feedback is captured in-app and synced to Slack. Developers can view design workflows, leave comments, and access CSS attributes from within the prototype itself.

Ideal for Design Systems with Team Libraries

Design systems have become a necessity for many companies, and there is a need for components (symbols in Sketch and Illustrator) that are reusable, scalable, and “tagged” for use in pattern libraries available to UX designers and front-end developers.

The commonly used phrase “single source of truth” applies here—once the Figma team library is created, anyone with access to the project can use component examples in their designs and ensure they are working with the latest version.

Figma’s approach to component libraries is simple and easy to manage. Designers can create files filled with components or use components on pages to organize the pattern library. Each frame on a Figma page becomes part of the organization in the team library (no need to create a hierarchy like this).

One way to organize the library is by having a project dedicated solely to components. The files within that project can be organized as needed, and the pages within those files can be organized as needed.

Long-term use of Figma highlights the benefits of real-time collaboration. It keeps teams aligned and encourages full transparency—crucial when building design systems across various disciplines. Figma is easy to use, accessible on any platform, and enables teams to quickly share their work and libraries.

That’s the article Mangcoding wanted to share. Hopefully, this provides helpful insights and new knowledge for you. If you have constructive feedback or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment or reach out via Email or Mangcoding’s social media.

Source: Advantages of Figma as a UI/UX Design Tool