Inside Figma: the product design team’s process | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Figma’s product design team uses deliberate rituals and meeting cadences to maintain connection, consistency, and a high quality bar across designers embedded in different product areas. The article distinguishes the horizontal design-team culture from the vertical product-team culture, arguing that both require investment. Its processes are intended as adaptable examples rather than prescriptions, especially during the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two overlapping team cultures

• Designers belong to both:
  • A horizontal design team, which supports consistency, craft, and shared quality standards.
  • A vertical product team, which focuses on shipping improvements and building expertise in a product area.
• As companies grow, designers tend to move from close collaboration across the whole design team into specialized product-area groups.
• Figma, with around 10 product designers, was encouraging designers to prioritize relationships with product teams while relying on design-team processes for alignment and community.

Process during the pandemic

• The article was written during COVID-19, when remote work and personal disruption affected productivity and morale.
• Design leadership encouraged people to make space for mental health and acknowledged that output might fall significantly.
• Regular collaboration became especially valuable because it helped replace some of the social connection normally created in an office.
• The author cautions teams not to adopt new rituals automatically; each organization should decide whether it has the capacity for process changes.

Weekly processes

Monday warm-up

• Participants: Product designers, with optional participation from research and brand team members.
• Schedule: Mondays, 9:30–10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
• Purpose: Start the week with a light, social activity rather than immediately focusing on work.
• The 30-minute meeting includes a “weekend update” segment lasting roughly five to ten minutes, along with additional activities designed to help the team reconnect.

Scope of the article

• The post focuses on design-team processes, not the broader product-development process.
• It covers recurring weekly activities, monthly and quarterly rituals, and practical advice for designing team activities.
• Product roadmapping, product-team collaboration, hiring, and design critiques are treated in other Figma resources.

Figma’s approach emphasizes creating intentional, repeatable moments for connection while keeping the process flexible. Teams should adapt these rituals to their size, structure, working environment, and the personal needs of their members.