Figma Config 2024: Redesign, DevMode, AI & Figma Slides

AM Design
26 Jun 202412:14

TLDRThe video discusses the new features introduced in Figma Config 2024, including a redesigned UI with floating sidebars, Auto Layout improvements, UI kit integrations, and Dev Mode for developers. It also covers AI capabilities for design suggestions, search functionality by image or drawing, and a new slide interface for presentations. The speaker expresses mixed feelings, particularly disappointment with the monetization of certain features.

Takeaways

  • 🔄 Figma's UI has been redesigned with floating sidebars and a bottom toolbar to save vertical space.
  • 📐 The Auto Layout feature has been updated to suggest layouts automatically and fill containers without manual dropdown selection.
  • 🔗 The right-hand sidebar now provides contextual options based on the selected element, such as frame or component properties.
  • 🛠️ Figma introduces 'Dev Mode' with a new state icon for changes and comments, but it comes at an extra cost, which is seen as a downside by the speaker.
  • 📱 A new responsive preview allows developers to see auto layouts in action directly within Figma.
  • 🔌 'Code Connect' feature allows linking Figma components to VS Code, showing changes made in the code editor directly in Figma.
  • 🎨 Built-in UI kits from iOS and Material Design are now available for direct use, with customization options for colors and modes.
  • 🤖 AI capabilities in Figma have been enhanced for creating screens, updating designs, and generating images or translations.
  • 🔍 Improved search functionality includes finding designs by image, text, or even drawing an icon to search for similar designs.
  • 📑 The ability to rename layers and create prototypes from selected screens using AI is introduced for efficiency.
  • 📊 Figma Slides is a new feature allowing for slide creation with an interface similar to Keynote, including presenter notes and embedded prototypes.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the video?

    -The video focuses on discussing the new updates introduced by Figma in Config 2024, including a redesigned UI, Auto layout features, UI kits, Dev mode, and AI capabilities.

  • What changes has Figma made to its UI in Config 2024?

    -Figma has introduced a revamped UI with floating left and right sidebars and moved the top tools bar to the bottom to save space.

  • How does the new Auto layout feature work in Figma Config 2024?

    -The new Auto layout feature allows users to ask AI to suggest an auto layout, creating multiple nested auto layout frames even if elements are not grouped together.

  • What is the purpose of the contextual right-hand sidebar in Figma Config 2024?

    -The contextual right-hand sidebar displays options relevant to the selected item, such as frame or component properties, providing a more tailored user experience.

  • What is included in the new UI kits feature of Figma Config 2024?

    -The new UI kits feature includes baked-in kits from iOS and Material Design, as well as a simple design system created by Figma, allowing users to directly use and customize these kits.

  • What is the controversy surrounding the Dev mode in Figma Config 2024?

    -The controversy is that Figma is charging extra for the Dev mode, which was previously free to use, causing dissatisfaction among developers.

  • How does the new responsive preview feature work in Figma Config 2024?

    -The responsive preview allows developers to see their auto layout and designs in action, with the option to make the preview responsive to different screen sizes.

  • What is the 'Code Connect' feature introduced in Figma Config 2024?

    -Code Connect allows users to connect their Figma components to Visual Studio Code, enabling changes made in VS Code to be reflected directly in Figma.

  • What AI capabilities does Figma Config 2024 offer for creating designs?

    -Figma Config 2024 offers AI capabilities to create screens, update colors, border radii, and text, as well as generate images and perform translations for designs.

  • How does the new search capability in Figma Config 2024 work?

    -Users can search for designs by uploading an image, drawing an icon, or by writing text to find matching results across different files within Figma.

  • What is the new feature for slides introduced in Figma Config 2024?

    -Figma Config 2024 introduces a slide interface where users can create and organize slides, change colors, and even embed prototypes directly within the slides for presentations.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Figma UI Redesign and New Features in Config 2024

The video discusses the new updates introduced by Figma in their 2024 configuration. The presenter shares their opinion on the redesigned UI with floating sidebars and the bottom tools bar, which saves vertical space but raises questions about efficiency. They also mention the new contextual sidebar that adapts to the selected element, the ability to expand the sidebar, and the changes in controls that they find cumbersome. The Auto Layout feature receives updates, including AI suggestions and the ability to expand elements to fill containers automatically. Additionally, there's a new way to drag elements for absolute positioning within auto layout frames. The presenter also touches on the introduction of built-in UI kits from iOS and Material Design, allowing for direct use and customization of design elements.

05:01

📱 Enhanced Design Tools and Developer Mode Critique

The summary highlights the new features for developers, such as a new state indicator for changes, a focused view for developers, and a responsive preview for auto layouts. The introduction of 'Code Connect' allows for live updates from VS Code to Figma. The presenter expresses disappointment with the new 'Dev Mode,' which they view as an unnecessary extra cost. They also mention the AI capabilities for creating designs, searching for images or designs within Figma, and the ability to find and use community designs. The video script also introduces the ability to suggest duplicate content and perform translations within the design platform, along with the native feature for renaming layers and creating prototypes from selected screens.

10:02

🎨 AI-Powered Slides and Additional Features in Figma

The final paragraph covers the introduction of slides in Figma, allowing for a presentation-like interface with the ability to view, organize, and edit slides efficiently. The new feature includes color and font customization, presenter notes, animations, and the integration of AI for voice and tone adjustments in slides. A standout feature is the ability to embed prototypes directly into slides, making them interactive during presentations. The presenter also mentions other minor updates and expresses concern over Figma's pricing strategy, feeling that the platform is becoming too focused on monetization. They invite viewers to share their thoughts on the new features and conclude the video with a call to action for subscriptions and notifications.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Figma Config 2024

Figma Config 2024 refers to the annual conference where Figma, a popular design tool, introduces new features and updates to its platform. In the context of the video, it is the event where the discussed updates were announced, and the script provides a detailed overview of these changes, indicating their significance to the design community.

💡Redesign

Redesign in this video script refers to the updated user interface of Figma. The term is used to describe the changes made to the layout and structure of the tool, such as the floating sidebars and the repositioning of the toolbar. The redesign aims to optimize space and potentially improve user experience, although the speaker expresses some skepticism about its necessity and efficiency.

💡DevMode

DevMode is a new feature introduced by Figma that is targeted at developers. It includes additional functionalities for inspecting and working with designs, such as a new status update icon and a focused view for developers. However, the speaker criticizes it for being an extra charge, suggesting that it might be a way for Figma to monetize features that were previously free.

💡AI

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is a significant theme in the video as Figma introduces AI-driven features. These include the ability for AI to suggest auto layouts, create designs, and even generate images or translate designs into different languages. The script mentions that while AI can assist in the design process, some of these features are not entirely new, as other tools have already implemented similar functionalities.

💡Auto Layout

Auto Layout is a feature in Figma that allows for the creation of flexible and responsive designs. The script discusses updates to this feature, such as the AI's ability to suggest an auto layout, even when elements are not grouped together, and the ease of expanding elements to fill a container. This feature is crucial for creating adaptive designs that work across different screen sizes and devices.

💡UI Kit

UI Kits are pre-designed sets of user interface elements that can be used to speed up the design process. In the script, Figma introduces baked-in UI kits from iOS and Material Design, as well as their own design system. These kits can be directly used and customized, including changing colors and adjusting for different views, which is beneficial for designers looking to create consistent and systematized interfaces.

💡Responsive Preview

Responsive Preview is a new feature that allows developers to see how designs will look on different screen sizes. Unlike the previous preview feature, which only scaled designs, the responsive preview simulates how auto layouts and other design elements behave on various devices, providing a more accurate representation of the final product.

💡Code Connect

Code Connect is a feature that enables a connection between Figma and Visual Studio Code (VS Code). It allows changes made in VS Code to be reflected directly in Figma, and vice versa. This feature is mentioned as a potential time-saver for developers, although the speaker expresses uncertainty about its practicality without hands-on experience.

💡Prototype

In the context of the video, a prototype refers to a working model of a design that can be interacted with. The script mentions the ability to create prototypes from a selection of screens using AI, which can save time for designers. Additionally, embedding prototypes directly into slides is highlighted as a new feature, allowing for interactive presentations.

💡Slides

Slides are a new feature in Figma that allows for the creation of presentations directly within the platform. The script describes an interface similar to Keynote, with the ability to view, organize, and edit slides. It also mentions the integration of presenter notes, animations, and the ability to embed prototypes, indicating a move towards a more comprehensive design and presentation tool.

Highlights

Figma introduces a redesigned UI with floating sidebars and a bottom tools bar in Config 2024.

The new UI design aims to save vertical space but raises efficiency concerns.

Figma now offers a contextual right-hand sidebar that changes based on selected elements.

The right-hand sidebar can be expanded for more control options.

Auto layout enhancements include AI suggestions and automatic frame expansion.

Users can drag elements into auto layout frames for absolute positioning with a Control key press.

Baked-in UI kits from iOS and Material Design are now available for direct use.

Dev Mode, a new feature for developers, comes with an additional cost, causing controversy.

A new status update feature in Dev Mode allows for tracking and commenting on design changes.

Responsive preview allows developers to see auto layout in action.

Code Connect feature connects Figma components with VS Code for live updates.

AI integration allows for quick design creation and the ability to update elements like colors and text.

Search functionality is improved with image, text, and drawing-based searches.

Duplicate content suggestions and translations are now available through AI.

Layer renaming feature streamlines organization within designs.

AI can create prototypes from a selection of screens, saving time for designers.

Figma Slides allow for creating and organizing presentations directly within Figma.

New slide features include color and font customization, grid view organization, and embedded prototypes.

Presenter notes and animations are integrated into the slide interface for a complete presentation tool.

Figma's new features have generated mixed reactions, with some seeing them as a letdown compared to previous updates.

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