Linking Frames and Pages in Figma

Linking frames and pages in Figma is a crucial skill for creating interactive prototypes and ensuring seamless navigation within your designs. This section will guide you through the key concepts and steps to effectively link frames and pages in Figma.

Key Concepts

1. Frames
2. Pages
3. Prototyping Mode
4. Creating Links
5. Navigation and Interaction

1. Frames

Frames in Figma are individual canvases that represent different screens or sections of your design. Each frame can contain various elements like text, images, and components. Understanding how to create and manage frames is essential for organizing your design and preparing it for linking.

Example:

Imagine you are designing a mobile app with multiple screens. Each screen (e.g., Home, Profile, Settings) can be represented as a separate frame. This organization helps in managing and navigating through different parts of your design.

2. Pages

Pages in Figma are collections of frames that group related screens or sections together. Pages help in organizing your project into logical sections, making it easier to manage and navigate. For example, you might have a page for the main app screens and another for onboarding screens.

Example:

Consider a website with multiple sections like Home, About, and Contact. Each section can be a page containing relevant frames. This structure ensures that your project is well-organized and easy to manage.

3. Prototyping Mode

Prototyping mode in Figma allows you to create interactive links between frames and pages. This mode enables you to simulate user interactions and navigation within your design. To enter prototyping mode, click on the "Prototype" tab in the right-hand panel.

Example:

Imagine you want to create a clickable button that navigates from the Home screen to the Profile screen. In prototyping mode, you can select the button on the Home frame and link it to the Profile frame, simulating a real user interaction.

4. Creating Links

Creating links in Figma involves selecting an element (e.g., a button) and defining its destination frame or page. Here’s how to create a link:

• Enter prototyping mode.
• Select the element you want to link (e.g., a button).
• Drag the link icon from the element to the destination frame or page.
• Choose the interaction type (e.g., click, tap) and transition effect (e.g., slide, fade).

Example:

Suppose you have a "Learn More" button on the Home page that should navigate to the About page. By creating a link in prototyping mode, you can simulate this navigation, allowing stakeholders to experience the flow of your design.

5. Navigation and Interaction

Effective navigation and interaction design are key to creating intuitive and user-friendly prototypes. In Figma, you can define various interactions like hover effects, scroll behavior, and dynamic content changes. These interactions help in simulating real-world user experiences.

Example:

Consider a product listing page where hovering over a product card reveals more details. By defining hover interactions in prototyping mode, you can create a realistic preview of how users will interact with your design, enhancing the overall user experience.

By mastering these concepts—frames, pages, prototyping mode, creating links, and navigation and interaction—you can create dynamic and interactive prototypes in Figma, aligning with Agile Design principles and ensuring a seamless user experience.