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The making of the Figma Pattern Library

By 
Ana Boyer

UI3 prompted us to rebuild our own design system from the ground up. Here’s how designers and engineers came together to create a new foundation for building consistent, accessible products.

Inside FigmaDesign systemsBehind the scenes
Illustration of Pablo Sánchez, who has curly hair and is wearing a yellow sweater, over a green backgroundIllustration of Pablo Sánchez, who has curly hair and is wearing a yellow sweater, over a green background

Pablo Sánchez’s 7 rules for designing the unexpected

By 
Pablo Sánchez

The designer of Ableton’s Note app shares unconventional principles for creating unforgettable digital experiences.

Maker StoriesDesignUI/UX
An illustrated collage of abstract shapes in bright colors and bold patterns that allude to inspecting and annotating in Dev ModeAn illustrated collage of abstract shapes in bright colors and bold patterns that allude to inspecting and annotating in Dev Mode

Why devs should play an active role in design

By 
Nicholas Villapiano

Advocating for Dev Mode changed my team’s workflow. Here’s how you can do the same.

Working WellEngineeringCollaboration

The Atlassian method: The power of developer joy

By 
Alia Fite

Learn how Atlassian made cultivating “developer joy” their north star metric for success.

Working WellEngineeringProduct management
Abstract artwork featuring orange organic shapes and green zigzag patterns on a blue background.Abstract artwork featuring orange organic shapes and green zigzag patterns on a blue background.

Design systems 101: What is a design system?

By 
Chad Bergman

Understand the basics of design systems, what they are, how they work, and how they can change the way you design.

InsightsDesign systemsCareer & education
A playful abstract illustration featuring a variety of simple, hand-drawn shapes and figures on a pastel background. On the left, there is a spiral, a square, and other linear elements, while on the right, a caterpillar-like figure with a calm face, accompanied by floral and organic shapes. The background is composed of overlapping pink and mustard yellow blocks on a light green base, creating a whimsical and childlike scene.A playful abstract illustration featuring a variety of simple, hand-drawn shapes and figures on a pastel background. On the left, there is a spiral, a square, and other linear elements, while on the right, a caterpillar-like figure with a calm face, accompanied by floral and organic shapes. The background is composed of overlapping pink and mustard yellow blocks on a light green base, creating a whimsical and childlike scene.

Breaking in: A guide to landing your first product design role

By 
Cai Charniga

Curious about early career opportunities at Figma? Here are some tips on how to get your first product design job, along with insights on what we look for.

Inside FigmaCareer & educationTips & inspiration

Figma on Figma

Figma on Figma: Evolving our visual language

By 
Carly Ayres

Figma’s visual identity has gotten a bold refresh. From playful primitives to a vibrant new palette, we’re unveiling our latest brand evolution—one that speaks to all product builders.

Inside FigmaBrandingDesign systems

Updating our web system for a new era

By 
Becca Ramos

Want to see how we used Figma’s latest features to audit and refresh our web system? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we streamlined our components, improved our workflows, and built for the future.

Inside FigmaDesign systemsBranding

Just our type: The story of creating Figma Sans

By 
Jenny Xie

As Figma expands to include tools for all product builders, our community has evolved—and so has our brand. We’ve overhauled our entire visual identity from color palette to illustration style, and even commissioned a new typeface.

Inside FigmaTypographyBranding
More Inside Figma

The Prompt

What is good design in the age of AI?

By 
Noah Levin

As AI democratizes product development, design will be the differentiator. But what exactly does “good” look like, and what does it mean for our craft?

InsightsAIDesign
Illustration mimicking Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam with a zoomed-in inset showing the hands have too many fingersIllustration mimicking Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam with a zoomed-in inset showing the hands have too many fingers

Can we reach beyond the echo chamber?

By 
Jenny Xie

Two creatives behind the browser that’s breaking the internet discuss what Zadie Smith, A24, and sunspots have to do with building a product.

InsightsAIProfiles & interviews
Illustration showing a human body repeating in a row, each time a different textureIllustration showing a human body repeating in a row, each time a different texture

Are we finally entering the age of androids?

By 
Jenny Xie

Humanoid robots are here, and they’re asking us to come face to face with the promises and pitfalls of AI.

InsightsAICulture
Read The Prompt

The Prompt

Because an AI’s brilliance is inert, it needs coaxing to shine. Lucky for us humans, our impulse to question is innate.
Amber Bravo, Director of Story Studio, Figma
Read the article

Updates from Config 2024

Config 2024 in review

By 
Dylan Field

We’re launching Figma AI, UI3, and Figma Slides, along with major updates to Dev Mode and improvements to your favorite Figma features.

Inside FigmaProduct updatesConfig

Meet Figma AI: Empowering designers with intelligent tools

By 
Kris Rasmussen

We’re introducing a suite of AI-powered features to help you push past creative blocks and bring your best ideas to life.

Inside FigmaConfigAI

Inside the redesigned Figma, where your work takes center stage

By 
Ryhan Hassan, 
Joel Miller, 
KC Oh

UI3 clears space on the canvas for you to bring your creative vision to life. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we landed on a more streamlined and adaptable interface.

Inside FigmaConfigUI/UX
All Config coverage

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Illustration of Pablo Sánchez, who has curly hair and is wearing a yellow sweater, over a green backgroundIllustration of Pablo Sánchez, who has curly hair and is wearing a yellow sweater, over a green background

Pablo Sánchez’s 7 rules for designing the unexpected

By 
Pablo Sánchez

The designer of Ableton’s Note app shares unconventional principles for creating unforgettable digital experiences.

Maker StoriesDesignUI/UX

The making of the Figma Pattern Library

By 
Ana Boyer

UI3 prompted us to rebuild our own design system from the ground up. Here’s how designers and engineers came together to create a new foundation for building consistent, accessible products.

Inside FigmaDesign systemsBehind the scenes
An illustrated collage of abstract shapes in bright colors and bold patterns that allude to inspecting and annotating in Dev ModeAn illustrated collage of abstract shapes in bright colors and bold patterns that allude to inspecting and annotating in Dev Mode

Why devs should play an active role in design

By 
Nicholas Villapiano

Advocating for Dev Mode changed my team’s workflow. Here’s how you can do the same.

Working WellEngineeringCollaboration

8 ways to craft an unforgettable Config talk

By 
Carly Ayres

Where do inspirational people find inspiration? Our Config speakers share their favorite talks from 2024, offering up a blueprint for crafting sessions that truly stand out.

InsightsConfigEvents

Updating our web system for a new era

By 
Becca Ramos

Want to see how we used Figma’s latest features to audit and refresh our web system? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we streamlined our components, improved our workflows, and built for the future.

Inside FigmaDesign systemsBranding

How we built AI search in Figma

By 
Vincent van der Meulen

How we went from autocomplete to AI search and landed on a tool that’s changing the way designers find and use existing work.

Inside FigmaEngineeringAI
A collage of images, maps, text, and graphics from archival NPS brochures on a black gridA collage of images, maps, text, and graphics from archival NPS brochures on a black grid

Made in Figma: The National Park Service goes from paper to pixels

By 
Jenny Xie

How do you design an app for 431 diverse national parks and monuments? By taking a page from iconic NPS park brochures. Learn how a small team adapted Massimo Vignelli’s seminal design system for a digital interface.

Maker StoriesBrainstormingDesign systems
An illustration of three people fitting geometric prisms through corresponding holes on a table.An illustration of three people fitting geometric prisms through corresponding holes on a table.

Issue no.7: Building better

By 
Figma

The conversation around developer experience has changed.

Inside FigmaThe Long & Short of It

The infrastructure behind AI search in Figma

By 
Isaac Goldberg, 
Maggie Zhou

To build AI search in Figma, we had to tackle a number of technical hurdles, including the challenge of generating and indexing billions of embeddings to power these features—while also keeping costs down.

Inside FigmaEngineeringAI

The search for speed in Figma

By 
Scott Laird

Our months-long investigation into slow search speeds led to a solution that not only improved performance but also set the foundation for future scale.

Inside FigmaEngineeringQuality & performance
Figma’s UI3 interface showing design work in the canvas is placed over a vibrant backgroundFigma’s UI3 interface showing design work in the canvas is placed over a vibrant background

Figma on Figma: Our approach to designing UI3

By 
Jenny Xie

Overhauling Figma’s interface meant reimagining how designers work. From docked panels to a new labeling system, here’s how we shaped UI3 by balancing user feedback with our vision for the future.

Inside FigmaProduct updatesDesign
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