10 comments

  • Mattan IngramMattan Ingram, over 3 years ago

    Until design tools have a box-model concept they are going to be fundamentally underpowered compared to HTML and CSS.

    I love Figma, but I see it getting outpaced by a tool built on web technologies in the next couple of years.

    The problem is a lot of the design tools going that direction are all working on trying to make production-ready code which I think is skipping too many steps.

    6 points
    • Marc EdwardsMarc Edwards, over 3 years ago

      Not all interface design is web design.

      6 points
      • Mattan IngramMattan Ingram, over 3 years ago

        The point is not to exactly emulate the web, the point is to have basic features like wrappers resizing based on content, and if you happen to be designing for the web you also get features that bring it closer to that medium.

        Designing with HTML and CSS will get you a more complete set of design tools for native app design than any of the existing drawing tools give you. I sometimes design for native apps with HTML and CSS written by hand because of the limitations of tools like Figma and Sketch.

        You get all the freedom of those drawing tools (position: fixed or position: absolute let you place an item essentially anywhere) while also having all the benefits of a box-model that brings you closer to the actual experience of web AND native.

        3 points
  • Remus Baltariu, over 3 years ago

    Really nice touchpoints. I think all of them are in a way or another in the minds of designers around the world. As you said, the padding feature is overly requested by everyone.

    2 points
  • oli ingram, over 3 years ago

    Nice article, I really agree with the padding one, literally had this problem with a design system i've built at the moment.

    the colour idea is also very interesting. Currently I have an extended palette of my core colours, but there's a disconnect between how the developers will implement them (a variation of mix and tint and shade functions of the core colours) and how i'm working in figma.

    looking forward to more figma updates and more importantly the plugins! Which will hopefully bring some of these features faster.

    1 point
  • James Young, over 3 years ago

    I have been looking at figma off and on to see if its a good fit for my team. I want to keep an open mind about it, but I can't find a single compelling reason to even put it into an evaluation. What am I missing? what makes this a UX tool that's better than Axure/Sketch?

    0 points
    • Ivan BjelajacIvan Bjelajac, over 3 years ago

      Just the ability to work on the same file is great. To comment on and work on the same file in real time with it still being responsive and functional. The way they handle components/styles is also pretty well thought out with some quirks admittedly. But overall it can really feel like a refreshment just like Sketch did when it first came out.

      BUT, there are some really frustrating bugs and/or features that can just irritate the hell out of you. They also don't have support for plugins which is disappointing.

      If Sketch manages to clean up, rethink and iron out their styles/symbols/library and implement the same collaboration feature as Figma that will actually work, the discussion will end for me right then and there.

      In the meantime, i'm waiting for Figma to step up with their shit.

      1 point
      • James Young, over 3 years ago

        Thanks Ivan!

        We do a lot of prototypes, including form field input pick lists, etc. These kinds of interactions don't seem possible in Figma. Figma also seems to be primarily for mobile viewports, which is about 1/3rd of the work we do, the desktop is still king for us.

        I like the idea that the team would be able to simultaneously work on the same file as we're somewhat distributed with most working from home or remote. Having a design library and files stay up to date seems like a dream.

        I have to wonder if the browser interfaces are a godsend or a curse. When zeplin isn't available the team can still work, that wouldn't be true if figma died. I think we're all sick of the subscription model pricing, which would be another drawback. do you feel like the licensing make its more expensive the sketch?

        What about the transition and all the work we have in sketch and axure today?

        1 point
        • Dino ParavandisDino Paravandis, over 3 years ago

          Hi,

          1. Plugins are coming but I still its overrated imho.
          2. Figma is definitely not focused on mobile - we do a ton of work with desktop viewports (basically who does one or the other when working for the web anymore).
          3. A cloud based design tool as in anything has many benefits but of course there are drawbacks. For us the drawbacks are minimal.
          0 points