Figma for Agile Design
1 Introduction to Figma
1-1 Overview of Figma
1-2 Figma vs Other Design Tools
1-3 Setting Up Figma Account
2 Figma Interface and Navigation
2-1 Understanding the Figma Workspace
2-2 Panels and Tools Overview
2-3 Customizing the Interface
3 Basic Design Principles
3-1 Design Fundamentals
3-2 Color Theory
3-3 Typography Basics
3-4 Grid Systems
4 Creating and Managing Projects
4-1 Creating a New Project
4-2 Organizing Files and Folders
4-3 Version Control and Collaboration
5 Designing Components
5-1 Introduction to Components
5-2 Creating and Editing Components
5-3 Variants and Instances
5-4 Managing Component Libraries
6 Prototyping and Interactions
6-1 Introduction to Prototyping
6-2 Creating Interactive Elements
6-3 Linking Frames and Pages
6-4 Testing and Sharing Prototypes
7 Agile Design Principles
7-1 Understanding Agile Methodology
7-2 Integrating Figma with Agile Processes
7-3 User Stories and Personas
7-4 Sprint Planning and Design Sprints
8 Collaboration and Teamwork
8-1 Real-Time Collaboration Features
8-2 Managing Team Projects
8-3 Feedback and Comments
8-4 Handoff and Design Systems
9 Advanced Figma Techniques
9-1 Plugins and Extensions
9-2 Automating Design Tasks
9-3 Advanced Prototyping Techniques
9-4 Exporting and Sharing Assets
10 Case Studies and Best Practices
10-1 Analyzing Real-World Figma Projects
10-2 Best Practices for Agile Design
10-3 Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
10-4 Continuous Learning and Resources
Variants and Instances in Figma

Variants and Instances in Figma

Understanding Variants and Instances in Figma is crucial for creating flexible and reusable design components. These concepts allow you to manage and customize elements efficiently, enhancing your Agile Design process.

Key Concepts

  1. Variants
  2. Instances

1. Variants

Variants are a collection of related components that share the same base structure but differ in specific attributes. They allow you to create multiple versions of a component while maintaining consistency. For example, you can create variants of a button component with different colors, sizes, or states (e.g., default, hover, active).

Example:

Imagine designing a set of buttons for a website. You can create a variant for each button type (primary, secondary, tertiary) with different colors and styles. This ensures that all buttons follow a consistent design language while offering flexibility for different use cases.

2. Instances

Instances are individual copies of a component that inherit properties from their parent component. Instances can be modified without affecting the original component, allowing for customization while preserving the base design. This is particularly useful for maintaining design consistency across a project.

Example:

Consider a form component with multiple input fields. Each input field can be an instance of a base input component. If you need to change the font size or color for a specific input field, you can modify the instance without altering the original component. This ensures that other input fields remain unchanged, maintaining design consistency.

Analogies

Variants

Think of variants as different flavors of ice cream. Each flavor shares the same base (ice cream), but they differ in taste (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry). Similarly, variants share a common structure but vary in specific attributes.

Instances

Consider instances as individual servings of ice cream. Each serving is a copy of the original ice cream but can be customized with toppings (sprinkles, nuts, syrup). Like instances, these servings inherit the base properties but allow for unique modifications.

By mastering Variants and Instances in Figma, you can create flexible and reusable design components, streamlining your Agile Design process and ensuring consistency across your projects.