In the file at Config 2021 | Figma Blog

Config 2021’s breakout sessions emphasized practical systems for building products and teams. Coda’s Helena Jaramillo described how to create a strong product vision without existing user data, while Stripe’s design team shared principles for meeting immediate needs without sacrificing long-term scalability. Both approaches rely on context, shared perspectives, strong foundations, and thoughtful communication.

Building a Vision from Zero to One

• At Coda, Helena Jaramillo worked on a publishing platform designed to help users share best practices and discover documents.
• Because the product was new, the team lacked existing user behavior, research participants, and historical data.
• Helena built context by studying competitors and adjacent products, annotating screenshots in Figma, and identifying useful or unsuitable patterns.

Developing a Strong Product Perspective

• The team explored what publishing on Coda should feel like: a blog post, a no-code app, or a website.
• They used Helena’s publishing experience and internal discussion to form a shared point of view.
• Two priorities emerged:
  • Make publishing interactive documents easy.
  • Help publishers feel proud of and recognized for their work.
• These principles shaped features such as simple publishing flows, photos, subtitles, and bylines.
• When user insights are unavailable, a team can rely on collective intuition and expertise—but only by aligning around a clear perspective.

Communicating the Broader Story

• Helena created a “tl;dr page” in Figma to align cross-functional partners.
• Rather than documenting every feature, the page used a short flow and several mockups to show the product narrative.
• The goal was to make the intended experience understandable without requiring deep project context.

Designing for Immediate Needs and Long-Term Scale

Stripe’s Connie Yang, Tayler Aitken, and their team focus on simplifying complex processes for businesses and end users. Their approach combines urgency with long-term planning.

• Think in long time scales: Stripe uses a “city planner mentality,” considering how systems connect, handle growth, and respond to future needs—potentially as far ahead as 2030.
• Lay strong foundations: Teams should invest in fast, accessible products and scalable systems instead of short-term fixes.
• Stripe’s design-system color tables, for example, include contrast and accessibility ratings, embedding quality requirements directly into the infrastructure.
• Prioritize rigor and quality: Because Stripe handles payments and payouts, user trust is essential. The team accepts additional complexity when it produces a more reliable, polished experience.

The practical recommendation is to combine strong early judgment with durable systems: build enough context to form a clear vision, communicate that vision simply, and make foundational decisions that continue serving users as the product grows.