Designing for code
Everyone on a product team is working together to make one thing: real software in the hands of their users. Design mocks are simply a communication tool in service of this shared goal. But the way a typical design file is structured does not set the team up for success. In fact, they result in unnecessary cycles of work for the whole product team.
Instead, design files should mirror how the design will be implemented. With the building blocks implemented like this, full experiences are faster to both communicate and build.
With a few tweaks to your Figma files, teams can use shared language throughout the whole development cycle, engineers have a stable source of truth for every component, and full UIs are much faster for you to build and update.
4/22 4:50–5:20pm UTC
In the file
A deep-dive into the tactics, processes, and systems that keep teams running.
Explore more tracks:
Wednesday, April 21st
4:50pm UTC
We should be replaceable: how we can build timeless design systems
This is a talk about soft skills, design culture and what that looks like in practice. Using principles of systems theory, design principles and design culture best practices, Au will demonstrate that great design systems can be timeless. That they can scale and take on any challenges the future may hold. And also that our qualities as systems designers have immense impact into it.
In the file
Design systems
4/21 4:50–5:20pm UTC
4:50pm UTC
Exploring spatial software
In this session, John will introduce his definition of "spatial software” and dive deeper into the genre's subcategories. He’ll show examples and discuss key design decisions that affect the experience of using a spatial app, touching on principles from game design and visual perception.
In the file
Developers
4/21 4:50–5:20pm UTC
5:30pm UTC
Behind the gradient: The inner workings of design at Stripe
Join Connie and Tayler to get an overview on Stripe Design - including the complexities the team faces and how they navigate them. You’ll get an inside look into their world, ripe with screenshots!
In the file
Developers
4/21 5:30–6:00pm UTC
6:10pm UTC
The journey to interactive components
Interactive components are here! What took so long? Let's dig into the biggest barrier we had in getting interactive components over the line.
In the file
By Figma
4/21 6:10–6:40pm UTC
6:10pm UTC
Unexpected places: Figma as a space for anything and everything
Creating something from a blank file is magic. Ace wants to empower and excite people to use Figma for anything and everything by looking through five vignettes: five (Community) files, five practiced skills, five sets of challenges. Each story examines unique processes, constraints, goals, and lessons.
In the file
Tips and tricks
4/21 6:10–6:40pm UTC
6:50pm UTC
Andrei Iancu
UI/UX Designer at Sparktech Software
Chudo Loo
Product Designer at Intuit
Gleb Sabirzyanov
Indie designer and developer
ShuaiQi Sun
UI/IX Design Lead & Design Systems Architect at Hangzhou DingYong Technology Co.
Vitalli Sologub
Lead Product Designer at Rallyware
Pushing Figma to its limits
A group of Figma enthusiasts show how global collaboration led to our novel and mind-boggling solutions, techniques, and hacks that test the limits of Figma. You’ll get a look at the secrets behind the magic like: pattern generator, isometric scene with auto layout, unique ways of working with components and much much more! Five speakers and twenty-five minutes of fun.
In the file
Tips and tricks
4/21 6:50–7:20pm UTC
6:50pm UTC
How to build a compelling vision when building from zero to one
This session will explore how to build conviction and become the expert by:
observing and understanding the market to inform your intuition; learning whenーand whyーto question the status quo and design something that’s “right” even if it goes against the familiar, existing patterns; using existing collateral and updating it with your vision can help team members understand where you’re going; and creating a North Star that’s not too detached from reality.
4/21 6:50–7:20pm UTC
7:30pm UTC
Tiny tots have thoughts too!
Join me and learn about how we run user research with children (ages 6-9) at Clever. I'll share our experiences of setting up kid-approved spaces in our office (pre-COVID), running remote user interviews with kids, and designing kid-centric diary studies. Walk away with Clever’s kid-testing principles, so you too can design great products for kids.
In the file
Education
4/21 7:30–8:00pm UTC
7:30pm UTC
Auditing design systems for accessibility
In this session, learn how to audit components for accessibility issues from design to code using plugins, best practices, and testing tools. Walk away from this session empowered to make your design systems accessible sooner.
4/21 7:30–8:00pm UTC
Thursday, April 22nd
4:00pm UTC
Deep dive into Figma’s new features
Opening keynote, day 2
Spend time with Yuhki Yamashita, our VP of Product and the team as we take a closer look at the Day 1 launches and how you can use new features in your workflow. We’ll also share some tactical tips, tricks and details so you’re fully up to speed on all of the new things in Figma.
4/22 4:00–4:40pm UTC
4:50pm UTC
Designing for code
Everyone on a product team is working together to make one thing: real software in the hands of their users. Design mocks are simply a communication tool in service of this shared goal. But the way a typical design file is structured does not set the team up for success. Instead, design files should mirror how the design will be implemented. With the building blocks implemented like this, full experiences are faster to both communicate and build.
4/22 4:50–5:20pm UTC
5:30pm UTC
Noah Levin
Director of Product Design at Figma
Sara Culver
Design Manager at Figma
Kelly Li
Product Designer at Figma
Live design critique with the Figma design team
Join Noah, Sara, Kelly, and several members of the Figma product design team as they do a real-time design critique on an actual Figma feature…in Figma!
In the file
By Figma
4/22 5:30–6:00pm UTC
6:10pm UTC
Rapid prototype testing
Interactions and micro interactions can often make or break the usability of your design. Fortunately there’s a way to get ahead of this problem through rapid prototyping research. Rapid prototyping applies an iterative approach to the design stage in order to quickly improve the design using regularly updated prototypes in multiple short cycles.
4/22 6:10–6:40pm UTC
6:10pm UTC
Building Sticker Sheets to scale design systems
The aim of this talk is to demystify the process behind creating and organizing a design system from scratch, using our experience as product consultants for large companies.
4/22 6:10–6:40pm UTC
6:10pm UTC
Playing with Plugins
We'll explore building experimental Figma Plugins that do everything from automating simple design tasks to designing entire apps for you.
In the file
Plugins
4/22 6:10–6:40pm UTC
6:50pm UTC
Designing typefaces with Figma components and plugins
Come learn about a quick intro to type design and how I used Figma's flexible tooling platform of components and plugins to build my a custom workflow to fit my needs.
4/22 6:50–7:20pm UTC
6:50pm UTC
Figm-illustrations
In this session Joey will take us through the process of constructing detailed vector illustrations in Figma. He’ll provide tips for achieving visual effects and show how to incorporate good organizational habits, such as naming conventions and layer ordering. And, of course, show how using components and variants can take your creative work to the next level!
In the file
Illustrations
4/22 6:50–7:20pm UTC
7:30pm UTC
Building a platform at Figma
Join for an inside look into how we build the Figma platform. Bersabel will share what we’ve learned about growing our community of developers and how we enable them to build on top of our product.
In the file
By Figma
4/22 7:30–8:00pm UTC