Sharing Designs with Stakeholders in Figma
Key Concepts
- Sharing Options
- Permissions and Access Levels
- Interactive Prototypes
- Annotations and Comments
- Version Control
- Feedback Collection
- Exporting Designs
- Collaboration Tools
- Review and Approval Workflow
- Integration with Communication Tools
- Best Practices
- Conflict Resolution
1. Sharing Options
Figma offers various sharing options, including public links, private links, and team-based sharing. These options allow you to control who can view and interact with your designs.
Example: Sharing a public link to a prototype with stakeholders for broad feedback, while keeping the main design file private for the design team.
2. Permissions and Access Levels
Permissions and access levels determine who can view, comment, and edit your designs. Figma provides options like view-only, comment-only, and full edit access.
Example: Setting view-only permissions for stakeholders to ensure they can provide feedback without making changes to the design.
3. Interactive Prototypes
Interactive prototypes allow stakeholders to experience the design as if it were a real app. This helps in gathering more accurate and actionable feedback.
Example: Creating an interactive prototype of a mobile app screen where stakeholders can click through different states and interactions.
4. Annotations and Comments
Annotations and comments enable stakeholders to leave feedback directly on the design. This ensures that feedback is specific and easy to address.
Example: Stakeholders can leave comments on specific elements, such as a button or text field, providing targeted feedback.
5. Version Control
Version control helps manage different versions of a design. It allows you to track changes, revert to previous versions, and compare different iterations.
Example: Saving different versions of a prototype and labeling them with version numbers and descriptions, making it easy to track changes and revert if needed.
6. Feedback Collection
Feedback collection involves gathering comments and suggestions from stakeholders. This process helps in identifying areas for improvement and ensuring the design meets user needs.
Example: After sharing a prototype, stakeholders can leave comments on specific screens or elements, providing valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.
7. Exporting Designs
Exporting designs allows you to share specific parts of your design in various formats, such as images, videos, or interactive HTML files, for use in presentations or documentation.
Example: Exporting a high-fidelity mockup as an image file and sharing it with stakeholders for a presentation.
8. Collaboration Tools
Collaboration tools in Figma facilitate seamless communication and teamwork. These tools include features like comments, annotations, and real-time editing.
Example: Multiple stakeholders can leave comments and suggestions on the same design file, ensuring a collaborative feedback process.
9. Review and Approval Workflow
Review and approval workflows involve setting up a structured process for reviewing and approving designs. This includes defining roles, setting deadlines, and tracking the progress of feedback and revisions.
Example: Creating a workflow where stakeholders review the design at specific milestones, providing feedback and approving changes before moving to the next stage.
10. Integration with Communication Tools
Figma integrates with other communication tools, such as Slack, Jira, and Microsoft Teams. These integrations streamline the workflow by allowing users to receive notifications, share prototypes, and collect feedback directly within their preferred tools.
Example: By integrating Figma with Slack, stakeholders can receive notifications about new comments or changes directly in their Slack channels.
11. Best Practices
Best practices for sharing designs with stakeholders include clear communication, regular updates, and maintaining a collaborative mindset. These practices help in creating a cohesive and efficient feedback process.
Example: Holding regular review meetings to discuss progress, share updates, and address any issues, ensuring everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
12. Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution involves addressing and resolving any disagreements or issues that arise during the feedback process. This ensures smooth teamwork and project progress.
Example: If stakeholders have conflicting ideas for a screen, a meeting can be arranged to discuss and resolve the issue, ensuring a unified design approach.
Examples and Analogies
Sharing Options: Think of sharing options as different modes of transportation. Just as you choose a mode based on your destination, you choose a sharing option based on your audience.
Permissions and Access Levels: Consider permissions and access levels like a gated community. Only authorized residents (users) can enter and make changes, while visitors (stakeholders) can view but not alter.
Interactive Prototypes: Imagine interactive prototypes as a dress rehearsal for a play. Just as the rehearsal allows actors to practice their roles, prototypes allow stakeholders to experience the design.
Annotations and Comments: Picture annotations and comments as sticky notes on a whiteboard. Just as sticky notes provide quick feedback, comments in Figma provide real-time feedback on designs.
Version Control: Think of version control as a time machine. Just as a time machine allows you to travel back in time, version control allows you to revert to previous states of your design.
Feedback Collection: Consider feedback collection like gathering ingredients for a recipe. Just as you need various ingredients to cook a dish, you need various feedback to create a successful design.
Exporting Designs: Imagine exporting designs as packaging a gift. You choose the best wrapping (format) to present the design to the recipient (stakeholder).
Collaboration Tools: Picture collaboration tools as a shared workspace. Just as a workspace allows multiple people to work together, collaboration tools in Figma allow multiple stakeholders to provide feedback.
Review and Approval Workflow: Imagine review and approval workflow as a production line in a factory. Each step (review) has a specific role and deadline, ensuring the product (prototype) moves smoothly to the next stage.
Integration with Communication Tools: Consider integration as a universal remote control. It connects to various devices (tools) and allows you to control them from a single interface.
Best Practices: Think of best practices as the rules of a game. Just as following the rules ensures a fair game, following best practices ensures an efficient feedback process.
Conflict Resolution: Think of conflict resolution as a mediator in a dispute. The mediator (team leader) helps resolve disagreements, ensuring a harmonious feedback process.