In the world of Digital Design or Graphic design in particular, the introduction of new tools like Figma has turned out to be a game changer. They are shaping the design trends, fundamentals, and principles for adaptive, user-friendly interfaces and experiences from the orthodox design process.  Figma has revolutionized the way designers work, allowing them to create interactive prototypes and collaborate with their teams in real-time. This has made the design process more efficient and streamlined, resulting in better user experiences. Figma’s user-friendly interface and its intuitive design make it an ideal choice for novices and experienced professionals alike.

What is Figma?

For those who are new to the design industry let’s understand what is Figma in brief,

Figma is a Collaborative Interface Design Tool or It is an out-and-out design tool used to create, edit and craft functional, adaptive and user-friendly designs. It comes with features such as team collaborations, AI assistants, and plug-ins to make the design or content more responsive and smooth. 

What is Figma used for?

Aside from what is its uses, Figma comes with added use cases. These added uses increase the versatility of Figma and make it ideal for UI/UX design professionals. Figma is used for purposes like:

  • Figma can be used or most probably used to design mobile and web applications, websites and a few other digital interfaces.
  • Create wireframes for layouts and make raw designs as design mock-ups
  • Prototype mere designs to implement interactivity.

Uses of Figma

As you know What is Figma, Other than a platform for User Interface and user experience design, Figma can be used for a few other purposes that concern the design industry. These uses are as follows:

  • Ui/UX designing: is the first and foremost use case with Figma. You can create engaging and responsive user experiences and interfaces for convenient and seamless experiences.
  • Prototyping: for interactive content letting you showcase your design’s interactivity and functionality.
  • Collaboration: to work and seamlessly connect with your team for editing and contributing to a single or multiple projects. Teams can also involve development and brainstorming for planning and organising well.
  • Manage design system: the ability to manage More than one design system to effortlessly have control over your designs and projects.

Benefits of Figma

Compared to other UI/UX design or Design tools in general Figma is rich in features that add to its value and increase its benefit. Knowing the uses of Figma A few of the most prominent benefits of Figma that keep it above its competitors or alternatives are as follows:

  • Cross-platform usage is amongst the best features or benefits of Figma. It allows designers to work on designs regardless of their operating system via logging on to a web browser. 
  • It also allows real-time collaboration for multiple projects, enabling them to edit and make changes simultaneously.
  • Your and your team’s files are backed up in the cloud and always updated accordingly with the changes you make. It can also be accessed from anywhere.
  • Figma is a community-based design platform that lets you have resources like plug-ins, templates and design systems free of cost.
  • Other notable benefits of Figma include cost-efficiency and an integrated prototyping feature that doesn’t let you take extra effort for additional tools to test designs.

Role of Figma

Amid numerous tools available in the market especially for graphic Design and UI/UX design including tools that can be used for both, Figma set a quality standard in the design industry. The role of Figma in the design world is crucial.

It serves as an all-in-one tool for designing in a single space. With this space, businesses and professionals regardless of the fact whether it’s a single individual or a team enable rapid workflow, and consistency and provide more accessible designs. Figma is an unavoidable tool for UI/UX design these days and is demanded highly.

Key features of Figma

Given the quality of Figma, it also comes with top-notch, exclusive and worthy features. It also consists of regular features that are available in other designing tools or platforms as well. Key features of Figma are listed below, though some are mentioned earlier there are new ones to the list. They are:

  • Tools for collaboration: Collaboration is among the best uses and benefits of using Figma and tools to make it easier is a feature. Collaboration tools for editing, adding comments and feedback.
  • Build clickable prototypes with animations and transitions.
  • Share styles and components for design systems to keep consistency.
  • Auto-save your progress accompanied by backing them up in the drive. Also, access them from anywhere.
  • Version control: Ability to access previous versions of your project without the need to manage multiple files.
  • Plug-ins; a specific set of tools and services to enhance, edit or customize your projects. It also lets you complete your designs and projects quickly with quality,
  • FigJam: FigJam is a whiteboard tool that helps your team brainstorm or discuss for proper planning and organising projects.

Revolution of Figma

Let’s take a look at the history of Figma and how it revolutionized the design industry of UI/UX in brief. 

The idea of Figma came around 2012 to its founders Dylan Field and Evan Wallace while they were pursuing computer science at Brown University. Wallace studied graphics and was a teaching assistant meanwhile Field led the CS Departmental Undergraduate group. The idea of Figma was simple, It was a space for anyone creative with templates and tools in a browser. The initial release of the Figma platform was released in 2016 and used to have an invite-only program in 2015 before its actual user release. The real game changer happened on in 2019 October 22nd when Figma introduced the Figma community a space where you can publish your designs or take inspiration from.

Its Key feature FigJam was introduced on 21st April 2021 offering brainstorming and better planning and organisation overall increasing its quality and convenience of usage. It also hiked its popularity and better rating as a design platform. Overall this led to higher value compared to its competitors or alternatives. The Google partnership on 22nd June 2022 for “Google For education” and setting design standards with their material design guidelines made Figma a reliable and ideal tool around the globe. It also launched Dev mode or developer mode for turning designs into codes helping developers or front end or Web design as well as Graphic designers an expanded scope for career switch, upskilling and more. This initiative also increased the scope of UI/UX design to new roles like UI/UX development. 

The design industry’s big players such as Adobe tried to Acquire Figma highlighting how large and how much Figma grew and possessed potential for more. Today there are multiple Figma software or even inspirations and few alternatives or competitors using the same structure. In almost a decade the History of Figma indicates the uses of Figma over any other tools and why it stayed at the peak of the Digital Design industry. 

Comparison of Figma vs Other Design tools

Look at how Figma performs or stays better compared to other top tools in the UI/UX Design industry. This comparison with other tools will suggest you the tools that suit you the best and Figma stays on top. Always be sure to do your research and find the best tools for you. Even if you use Figma learning and trying other tools as alternatives increase your demand as a UI UX designer and your expertise. The top tools for UI/UX design compared with Figma are shown below:

FeatureFigmaAdobeXDSketchInVision
PlatformFigma is a browser-based platform but also has an application. It also works on multiple operating systems like Mac, windows etcRequires an application, but available in both Mac and Windows.Sketch is exclusive or available on MacOS devices only and requires an application.InVision is a browser-based platform making it accessible. To multiple OS devices.
CollaborationReal-time collaboration, letting teams be more effective by instant updates and edits.The collaboration feature is available in AdobeXD but it is limited.Collaboration features are possible but with the use of additional tools. A limited collaboration feature is available in InVision
PrototypingIn Figma, the prototyping feature is in-build and requires no additional tools.Like Figma, AdobeXD also comes with a built-in prototyping feature.Like getting collaboration, the prototyping feature also requires added tools or plug-insA limited prototyping feature is available
Cloud AcessFigma comes with inbuild cloud access and the edits and changes are updated automatically and quickly.Cloud Access is also available within AdobeXD but requires set-upTo access the cloud you have to set it up by yourself Like Figma automatic cloud feature is available in Invision
Free PlanFigma is completely a free design tool or platform. But also has added paid features or versions for effective workingAdobeXD is also free along with its major features.Sketch is a Mac OS platform and as it sounds obvious it has paid features and plans. InVision with its features also comes with paid plans and features.

How do you access Figma?

To access Figma follow these steps.

  1. On your system browser visit Figma 
  2. You can either create an account and log in or download the desktop app.
  3. Make sure to choose the right desktop app that suits your system. 
  4. Do also install its mobile application for viewing and inspecting designs. It also lets you share the designs
  5. Once you made an account and have set up start your design journey in the UI UX industry.

How Much Does Figma Cost?

Figma and most Figma software are completely a free platform and that is enough for every professional designer. Yet it has attractive paid plans and features to enhance and fasten your work. Getting this paid feature lets you be a step ahead of other prominent designers in the design industry. The paid plans are split into two they are:

  • Free-Plan: Ideal for individual professional designers or small teams.
  • Professional Plan: It costs around $12/month per editor. It has features such as version history and lets you design unlimited projects.
  • Organization-Plan: Ranging up to $45 for a month per editor with advanced team management and easy for planning and organising projects.

Conclusion

In summary, Figma and Figma Software have grown to be more than a design tool or platform in the UI/UX design industry. With its unique features like cloud access, and real-time collaboration it allowed quick, quality and efficient work. These facts reshaped the UI/UX design industry and made way for the Revolution of Figma in the UI/UX industry. Today Figma is a synonym for UI/UX design and its industry. 

Aviv Digital is one of the leading UI UX design course in Calicut , and we also offer UI UX design course in Kochi. We offer a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the design industry. For more details, Contact us at: +91 8156998844