7.2 Define Phase in Figma

Key Concepts

The Define Phase in Figma is crucial for establishing the foundation of your design project. This phase involves setting up the project structure, defining design principles, and organizing assets. It ensures that your design process is systematic and aligned with the project goals.

1. Project Structure

Setting up a clear project structure in Figma involves organizing your files and folders in a logical manner. This structure helps in managing different sections of your design, such as wireframes, UI components, and assets.

Example: For a website project, you might create folders for "Homepage," "About Us," "Services," and "Contact." Each folder can contain separate Figma files for wireframes, UI designs, and prototypes.

2. Design Principles

Defining design principles involves establishing guidelines that will govern your design decisions. These principles ensure consistency and alignment with the project's objectives. Common design principles include simplicity, usability, and visual hierarchy.

Example: If your project emphasizes simplicity, you might define a principle that all UI elements should be minimalistic and clutter-free. This principle will guide your design choices throughout the project.

3. Organizing Assets

Organizing assets in Figma involves creating a library of reusable elements such as components, styles, and icons. This library ensures that all team members have access to consistent design elements, promoting efficiency and uniformity.

Example: You can create a "UI Components" folder containing reusable elements like buttons, cards, and forms. Each component can have variants for different states (e.g., hover, active, disabled), ensuring flexibility and consistency.

4. Setting Up Grids and Layouts

Setting up grids and layouts in Figma involves defining the structure for your design elements. This includes columns, rows, margins, and gutters. Grids and layouts ensure that your design is well-organized and visually balanced.

Example: For a responsive website, you might set up a grid with 12 columns and flexible gutters. This grid will help in aligning text, images, and other elements consistently across different screen sizes.

5. Establishing Naming Conventions

Establishing naming conventions involves creating a system for naming layers, frames, and components. Clear and consistent naming conventions help in managing and updating your design files efficiently.

Example: You might use a naming convention like "Header_Logo" for the logo in the header section and "Footer_SocialIcons" for the social media icons in the footer. This convention makes it easy to locate and modify specific elements.

6. Defining Color Palettes

Defining color palettes in Figma involves selecting and organizing the colors that will be used throughout your design. This includes primary, secondary, and accent colors. Color palettes ensure visual consistency and alignment with the brand identity.

Example: For a brand with a vibrant identity, you might define a primary color palette of bright shades and a secondary palette of complementary muted tones. These colors can be saved as Color Styles for easy application across the design.

7. Creating Typography Styles

Creating typography styles in Figma involves defining the fonts, sizes, and weights that will be used in your design. This includes headings, body text, and other text elements. Typography styles ensure readability and visual harmony.

Example: You might define a typography style for headings using a bold, sans-serif font and a style for body text using a regular, serif font. These styles can be saved as Text Styles for consistent application throughout the design.