By the numbers: one year of remote work | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)
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.