Data Science | Techlist.io

figmaMar 17, 20212 min readCurated summary

By the numbers: one year of remote work | Figma Blog

Figma’s shift to remote work prompted an experiment to understand how teams collaborate when offline workflows move online. By introducing a template picker with remote-work-focused files, Figma increased collaboration and helped users discover more features and community resources. The findings suggest that curated templates can make remote collaboration easier and encourage broader cross-functional participation. ## Moving Offline Workflows Online - Figma increasingly used its platform for brainstorming, research, team building, and other activities previously handled in person. - The growth team hypothesized that templates designed for remote work could reduce collaboration challenges and increase activity beyond traditional design work. - Figma built a template picker offering blank presets and curated templates, then tested it with a portion of its existing user base. ## Results of the Template Experiment - Users who received the template picker had a **5% higher collaboration rate**, measured by edits or comments in shared files. - The picker improved feature discovery: - **10% more users** discovered frame presets. - **90% more users** used files from the Figma Community when creating files. - The benefits applied to both designers and cross-functional collaborators. - Popular templates covered design-specific activities, such as remote design sprints, as well as broader uses like whiteboarding and team-building. ## Collaboration Across Teams and Locations - After a year of remote work, Figma observed more collaboration across regions and time zones. - Designers worked more closely with cross-functional colleagues. - Teams began involving collaborators earlier in the design process. - User feedback on social media and requests for additional templates indicated that people valued and actively wanted these resources. Figma’s experience shows that thoughtfully curated templates can turn a collaboration tool into a broader virtual workspace, helping distributed teams work together more effectively.

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Data Science Figma Remote Collaboration Figma Community+2

figmaApr 16, 20202 min readCurated summary

Figma + Lambda School: Where the remote classroom comes together to learn | Figma Blog

Figma’s collaboration features help Lambda School recreate the engagement and hands-on interaction of an in-person design classroom online. Students learn through shared presentations, live design work, peer feedback, and visible iteration rather than passively watching lectures. Because their work remains organized in Figma, the same files also support portfolio creation and continued peer learning. ## Interactive, Collaborative Lessons - Lambda School is a nine-month, live online program offering training in web development, mobile development, data science, and UX design. - Instructors present lessons in Figma during video conferences, allowing students to: - Zoom into designs and examine details. - Scroll through examples independently. - Use visible cursors to follow specific points in a presentation. - Students create and refine designs directly in shared Figma files. - Everyone can observe work in progress, learn from classmates, provide feedback, and remix existing designs. - This mirrors the collaborative workflows students will encounter on professional design teams. ## Real-Time and Asynchronous Feedback - Students and instructors can comment, tap each other for input, and work together in the same file. - Open audio, browser-based editing, and comments let students collaborate without constantly interrupting one another. - Students can work independently while classmates observe, take notes, or leave comments for later review. - When needed, an instructor or peer can join in and directly adjust pixels alongside the student. - Voting tools, such as stars, also encourage students to recognize and respond to one another’s work. ## A Lasting Record for Portfolios - Figma automatically preserves students’ designs, revisions, and project history. - This makes it easier to assemble a professional portfolio without searching through scattered files. - Students can focus more on interviews and career preparation while still presenting their development process. - Classmates’ work remains accessible after lessons, creating an ongoing resource for inspiration and learning. - The approach supports Lambda School’s broader career mission, which includes coaching, mentors, and connections to hiring partners. Figma’s use at Lambda School demonstrates how collaborative design tools can make remote education interactive, social, and career-oriented. Programs teaching practical creative skills can benefit from combining live instruction with shared workspaces that preserve feedback, iteration, and student progress.

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Data Science Figma User Experience Collaborative Design+3

figmaDec 18, 20192 min readCurated summary

Measuring the value of design systems | Figma Blog

Design systems can substantially reduce the time designers spend recreating assets, searching for references, and making repetitive visual decisions. Figma’s controlled experiment found that designers completed tasks **34% faster** when they had access to a relevant, up-to-date design system. The result represents an upper bound for real-world savings, since design systems are not always perfectly aligned with the work at hand. ## Why Design Systems Create Time Savings - Designers avoid recreating common elements from scratch. - Shared libraries reduce the need to search through old design files. - Predefined assets minimize small, repetitive decisions about: - Typography - Placement - Colors - Component structure - The accumulated savings can give designers more time for strategic and creative work. ## The Experiment - Designers were asked to complete two comparable tasks for a bank account aggregation app: - Designing a screen for viewing account transactions and trends. - Designing a flow for connecting a new account. - Each participant completed both tasks, but had access to a design system for only one. - For the task without the system, designers could reference older design files. - The tasks were balanced so each participant served as their own control. - Researchers alternated task order, allowed participants to familiarize themselves with the assets, and avoided prescribing specific design solutions. - Completion time was measured, while designers chose when their work was sufficiently complete. ## The 34% Improvement - Participants with access to the design system completed their objective **34% faster**. - The system was specifically relevant, current, and applicable to the assigned tasks. - Because of those ideal conditions, Figma considers 34% a likely maximum rather than an average real-world benefit. - Figma’s broader goal was to help design teams use analytics to keep libraries relevant and understand the value they provide. ## Maintaining the System’s Value - Design systems are most valuable when they reflect the work designers actually need to do. - Quantitative usage data can help teams identify which components are useful, compare libraries, and decide where maintenance is needed. - Figma introduced Design System Analytics to provide insight into library and component usage, supporting better decisions about shared assets. A design system should be treated as an actively maintained productivity tool, not merely a repository of reusable components. Teams can maximize its value by measuring adoption and keeping its assets current and relevant.

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Data Science Figma Design Systems Design System Analytics+1