Structuring Your Pages

I prefer to break down each page into specific sections:

1. Cover Image
2. Ready for Development
3. Iterations
4. Research
5. Design Quality Assurance
6. Components
7. Design Decisions (Optional)

Let’s delve into each section in detail:

#### Cover Image (Thumbnail)

This is the image that will appear on the main Figma project page, making it easier for you and your team to locate the desired file.

What to Include on the Cover:

The cover should convey essential information, such as:

• Project or feature name
• Jira ticket number
• Start date
• Current status (Research, Design, Ready for Development, Completed)
• Lead designer's name for easy contact

Recommended Cover Size:

A cover image size of 1600 x 960px is advisable, although you can use other dimensions. If you choose different sizing, ensure that the background color matches the cover artboard for visual consistency.

Tips:

1. You don’t need to create a cover image from scratch; you can find ready-made options in the community.
2. Ensure the cover image is at the top of your file tree for easy visibility. If not on the first page, use Figma’s “set as thumbnail” feature.
3. A solid color background enhances readability on the project manager page.
4. Adding the cover image as a component in your design system will facilitate its reuse.
5. Consider making the status indicators as components with variants for quick adjustments.

#### Ready for Development

This page should feature designs ready for implementation, ensuring it is free of errors and contains only necessary information for the handoff.

Tips:

1. Create clear flow diagrams with descriptive titles for each flow.
2. Add notes below screens for any additional context.
3. Use arrows to indicate user navigation, perhaps with a hand emoji for clarity.
4. Name each artboard descriptively to reflect its content and flow position.
5. If needed, utilize the screens on this page for prototyping without switching files.
6. Keep components for titles and notes in your design system for efficiency.
7. Review this page thoroughly before passing it to development to avoid delays caused by errors.

#### Iteration Pages

This section is dedicated to documenting your design iterations and tests. Since you’ll likely have multiple iterations, create separate pages for each.

I often share my iteration designs with my team for feedback, incorporating their suggestions directly onto the page before duplicating it for further refinement.

Tips:

1. Number each iteration page (e.g., Iteration-1, Iteration-2).
2. Organize all screens and provide descriptive names for flows.
3. Mark areas needing clarification with a red dot and accompanying text.

#### Research and Inspiration

This section can house insights from team members, user feedback, and online inspiration. Keeping all relevant information within Figma streamlines access, allowing you to respond to team inquiries directly from the file.

#### Design Quality Assurance

After implementation, this page serves to document your QA findings, highlighting discrepancies between the design and the developed product. Use images to illustrate errors and their corrections.

For additional insights on design QA, refer to my three articles on the subject.

Components Page

While most components are drawn from the design system UI kit, you may need to create custom components. Document any new components here. If you opt not to integrate them into the design system, they can remain on this page. Remember, Figma allows copying components between files without disrupting links.

Design Decisions (Optional)

This section can be utilized to log design choices agreed upon by your team. I prefer to maintain this documentation outside of Figma, as I view it primarily as a design tool rather than a documentation platform.

Additional Tips

Here are some suggestions for effective file organization:

#### Naming Your Figma File

Use a clear naming convention incorporating the ticket number and project name to facilitate easy searching.

#### Layer Naming

While components don’t require individual layer renaming within instances, ensure components themselves are clearly named and structured for clarity.

#### Emojis

Incorporating emojis can add a fun element to your Figma files. They are not essential but can enhance the visual appeal.

#### Page Separation

For better readability, insert an empty page labeled — — — — — — — to act as a divider between sections. When a section spans multiple pages, using the Tab symbol can create a tree-like structure.

#### Template Creation

Consider setting up a template file in Figma that your team can duplicate, ensuring consistency in structure across projects.

#### Team Collaboration

Ensure all designers agree on the file structure to promote uniformity, making it easier for everyone to navigate. You might also consider conducting a workshop to collaboratively establish this structure.

#### Product Team Awareness

It’s important to share the file structure with product team members, including product managers, owners, developers, and QA testers, so they understand how to locate the necessary information.

Conclusion

This article presented methods for organizing information within Figma, showcasing a structure that I find effective:

1. Cover Image
2. Ready for Development
3. Iterations
4. Research
5. Design Quality Assurance
6. Components
7. Design Decisions (Optional)

We examined each section in depth, along with practical tips for organization. Remember that each designer and team may require adaptations to best suit their workflows.

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