Watch 2021 keynote ↗

How to build a compelling vision when building from zero to one

When tasked with building something from scratch, how do you create a proposal and vision that's grounded as well as future-proof?

I faced this question when creating Coda’s Publishing Platform: Doc Gallery, a marketplace to publish website-like docs and ideas with the world. Given that this was a completely new product, it was not possible to gather data from a previous product or get user feedback on any existing services. In absence of the usual tools, I knew I had to create a long-term vision that was rooted in realistic, near-term outcomes, as well as build a foundation that’s future-proof. Most importantly, I had to get the team aligned excited about this vision.

What I learned is that you have to become the expert in a domain and set up your company for long-term success. It’s counter-intuitive to be an expert in something that doesn’t exist, or that can’t be measured in traditional ways.

This session will explore how to build conviction and become the expert by:

- Observing and understanding the market to inform your intuition: from competitive analysis, to reading blogs, or scanning twitter.

- 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.

- Painting all edges of the pictureーusing existing collateral and updating it with your vision can help team members understand where you’re going, even if you won’t build all features right away

- Finally, creating a North Star that’s not too detached from reality. How do you ground your vision back to meet your team where they are today?

When done well, your product is built to last and the domino effect can help your company grow.

In the file
4/21 6:507:20pm UTC

In the file

A deep-dive into the tactics, processes, and systems that keep teams running.

Explore more tracks:
Shifting team cultureEmbracing the mess

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 4:505:20pm 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 4:505:20pm 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 5:306:00pm 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 6:106:40pm 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 6:507:20pm 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 6:507:20pm 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 7:308:00pm UTC
7:30pm 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 4:004:40pm 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.
In the file
Design systems
Developers
4/22 4:505:20pm 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.
In the file
By Figma
Tips and tricks
4/22 6:106:40pm 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.
4/22 6:106:40pm 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 6:507:20pm 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 7:308:00pm UTC
© Figma 2021