What Is Figma? A Quick Intro to the Collaborative Design Tool

From Figma's uses to its main features, discover the digital design and prototyping tool that supports remote working

If you work in the design world, the chances are you’ve already heard of Figma—and you're going to keep hearing more about it.

First created back in 2012, the digital design and prototyping software has recently been making big strides in the design universe. It's now one of the key tools used by industry leaders, with a varied client portfolio including Airbnb, Dropbox, News UK, Zoom, GitHub, Microsoft, and Notion.

But, what is Figma used for and what are its main features? Here digital designer Andrea Jelic (@andrea1jelic) talks about why it stands out.

What is Figma?

Figma is a cloud-based vector graphics editor and prototype tool set up for collaborative and remote interface design. The UI software has all the resources you need for every step of a design project—even generating code you can export.

Accessible via a web browser or app, Figma is a versatile program that can be used to design websites, apps, and many more digital products. Plus, it's also got plenty of additional features, from organizational and ideation tools to free plug-ins, that have made it a popular option. Let’s take a closer look at some of the standout functions:

What is Figma used for?

Collaborative design

According to designer Andrea Jelic, one of the main advantages of Figma is that “it’s completely aligned for remote working." Andrea explains that Figma allows multiple team members to design and edit the same frame together in real-time from different locations around the world without having to share huge files.

Plus, it sends out project update notifications to the team when changes are made so everyone has the latest information. "Just like Google Docs, you can all work on the same document at the same time and open chats to discuss projects while you’re working."

Figma also allows you to share files with anyone via a single link, which means clients and colleagues can leave comments and provide feedback inside the document. These features can make workflows smoother and faster as it means you no longer have to separately explain which sections your clients need to look at, and it's easy for individual team members to leave comments and tag items.

The ability to create design systems

“Using Figma, you can also create design systems, a feature that allows you to develop a large number of elements and customize your designs to each project’s needs. You can create anything you may need in the future, including your own color schemes, buttons, actions, font scales, website sections, footnotes, and search bars,” Andrea adds.

Prototype design

It’s easy to prototype your designs while you work, so you can test your concepts earlier and more often, enabling you to create a better project development plan.

Figma is all about intuitive build; it works by connecting elements and allowing you to choose interactions and animations. It also emphasizes mobile viewing, so you can experience the design as it would look in real life.

Functions that make life easier

Figma includes several UX design features, including Auto Layout (which allows you to simply drop in the content that will adapt to the size of the frame) and Constraints (instructions that allow you to adapt your design if the format dimensions change). These are ideal for responsive design.

You can also add layout grids that work as templates to help you more efficiently and effectively structure your content.

The price

Figma Starter plans are free of charge. There are paid-for upgrades to Professional and Organization packages, but many people use the free plan for a long time.

The Starter plan comes with unlimited drafts, views, and comments, a thirty-day history, and unlimited cloud storage.

The creators' community

As an extra bonus for users, Figma also features a community of creators who provide free resources such as files, plugins, and information, including Instagram templates, landing pages, and design systems.

If you want to explore this digital tool further, sign up for Andrea Jelic’s course, Portfolio Design with Figma: Self-Promotion for Creatives, and learn how to get the most out of its functions.

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