Before Figma, web designers like myself were limited to design programs typically used for print, packaging, and traditional design. While we were still able to develop impactful designs that meet client objectives, there were inherent inefficiencies, and a lack of design capability, that hindered our designs from taking advantage of the latest in website design trends.
Since I’ve started exclusively using Figma for my website design workflows, my designs have continued to improve; I have been able to incorporate user interface trends that drive better site engagement; I can collaborate, share, and make programming easier on my development teammates; and our clients can get a much better experience and understanding of how the final site design will be executed.
Benefits to the Designer
As a digital designer, I believe in using the best tools to enhance creativity, not hinder it. Figma is a prime example of an effective and efficient tool. Its intuitive interface makes it extremely easy to use; alignment, spacing, padding, and importing graphics and images have become second nature. Unlike design programs like photoshop or Illustrator, Figma allows for the creation of multiple pages and artboards, making it easy to organize large web projects. Best of all, I can create reusable components that ensure design consistency across web page mockups – from simple engagement buttons to entire web sections, integration is easy. Shared libraries further enable me to develop design templates to implement across multiple projects.
Benefits to the Client
While I could elaborate on how Figma benefits me as a designer, the ultimate goal is to exceed our clients’ goals for impactful, engaging designs … and that’s where Figma excels. I’ve created design libraries that clients can use to craft their own landing page or microsite mockups. Collaborating with our own and our clients’ internal team or even to help guide other branding or design agencies is seamless. Figma’s unique ability to display design mockups as interactive prototypes—complete with animations, embedded video and other high-resolution graphics —helps our designs come to life and provide the client with so much more than a flat image. What’s best, Figman provides the opportunity to demonstrate interactions, such as button clicks and dropdown menus, which gives the clients a more realistic view of prospective final designs.
Evolving With Website Design Trends
As web design and interface trends continue to evolve, it’s crucial for design programs to accommodate and adapt. To that end, Figma is regularly updated and supports third-party plug-ins and AI technologies used to organize fonts, import brand logos, connect with online icon libraries, and edit images. It truly offers an unlimited canvas that will benefit designers like me, and website development agencies like ours to the benefit of delivering better solutions to the clients we serve.