How Difficult is it to Learn Figma?

Are you curious about learning Figma but worried it might be too hard? Of course, the difficulty that comes with learning a new skill is somewhat subjective. The challenges of learning Figma depend on factors likeexperience with design software, background with user experience design, and the ability to navigate community-produced resources and add-ons.

No matter your current schedule or comfort level with Figma, plenty of tools are available to help make learning more manageable than you might think.

What is Figma?

Figma is a browser-based user interface design tool that allows users to collaborate with other editors to build unique and accessible website designs. Users work on collaborative shared documents to build interactive prototypes of webpages, making Figma an ideal skill to learn for aspiring Web Designers who want to build complex, multi-feature webpages. Since Figma allows users to update their designs in real-time without downloading an application, teams can collaborate anytime and anywhere.

Figma is also a vector graphics design tool, meaning that all the designs produced are resizable and replicable. This is important for user experience (UX) design because it assures designers can optimize their layouts for several screens, ranging from mobile phones to desktop PCs. Regardless of the project, Figma will give teams the tools they need to construct complex prototypes of their web layouts. Then, users can test these prototypes and ensure that their designs meet all their requirements.

Since Figma prides itself on its collaborative community of designers, there are many readily available plug-ins, templates, and widgets that make designing interfaces much easier. If a Figma user runs into a problem, there is a good chance that another user has already run into that problem, solved it, and made their solution readily available as a plug-in or template.

Read more about what Figma is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Figma?

Figma lets users collaborate in real-time to build and prototype user interfaces and web applications. Using vector graphics design tools, teams of designers can build complicated wireframe layouts for websites that can be resized to be optimized for screens of any given size. In addition, users can add interactive elements such as scrolling and hovering functionalities to their designs, letting them make sure that their webpages look and feel like modern designs. This lets users produce working prototypes of their webpages that can be easily tested, allowing designers to receive feedback quickly. Figma even allows users to export some amount of code from the prototype designs to hand off to developers once the prototype has been perfected.

In addition, because Figma is such a potent collaboration tool, there is a massive community of designers and developers constantly creating new plug-ins, templates, and widgets for public consumption. Through Figma’s website and other forums, users can share new designs, provide feedback on templates, and improve on the functionality of interactive interface elements. Every day, more and more new Figma resources are being developed. The resources that are being developed can help users modify and re-purpose existing resources to fit their needs better. Thanks to the Figma community, users aren’t just able to collaborate with their team on a web design; they can collaborate with the entire community of Figma designers and developers on their web designs.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Figma?

New users of Figma share many of the same challenges that new uses of any graphic design tool face. Figma is an excellent tool for learning how to build user interfaces, but students with no background in user interface design simply won’t know the best practices for building layouts. If you don’t know why it is that user interfaces are designed in specific ways, you won’t be able to make informed decisions about your designs. To address this, students may want to consider professional user experience (UX) training, such as Noble Desktop’s UX Design in a Day course, to familiarize themselves with the best UX design practices.

New users may also find it challenging to navigate the large amount of information and material surrounding Figma. Figma has a large community of users building templates and interactive add-ons for the application. This is great for experienced users who need help building complex designs but can be intimidating to new users. Exploring the databases provided by Figma and looking at some of their training material can help ease students into working with community-generated content.

How Does Learning Figma Compare to Other Applications?

When entering the field of web design, new users should be aware that there isn’t a single dominant program within the field. To address this, Noble provides students with an overview seminar detailing the differences between Figma and the other major web design platforms, Sketch and Adobe XD.

Figma has a few advantages over its competitors. First, because it is entirely browser-based and built for collaboration, Figma lets teams of users interact more directly with each other than they could on a Creative Cloud program like Adobe XD. Second, the massive community of Figma users has created a sizable archive of the already existing material that can help teams of designers optimize both their projects and their workflow. Finally, on a practical level, Figma offers users a much more expansive trial version of the program, letting new users get accustomed to the program more efficiently.

For students who are interested in looking for more information on other programs, Noble’s Adobe XD Learn Hub can help them get a better grasp of that program.

Learn Figma with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers students a wide range of options for learning how to master web design using Figma. Figma courses are available both in-person at Noble’s Manhattan campus and online from the comfort of your home. Experienced instructors teach these courses, and even the online courses have small class sizes that allow students to receive focused attention to their learning needs in real-time. Almost all of Noble’s courses come with tech support, with in-person learners using in-house computers and distance learners receiving set-up assistance to ensure everyone is on the same page. Plus, these courses come with the option for a free retake within one year. During this retake, students can refine their skills, make up the work they missed, or simply gain some extra practice with Figma.

Students looking to learn the intricacies of Figma may consider enrolling in Noble’s Figma Bootcamp. This course will teach students how to build web designs using Figma independently and as part of a collaborative team. Students will learn the basics of the program, such as how to create and resize vector illustrations, optimize their designs for different-sized screens, and export their designs for prototyping or demonstration. Then, students will collaborate on advanced designs, including features such as hovers, scrolling elements, or web assets. At the end of the course, students will know how to use Figma to build professional quality web designs.

For students looking to strike out into a new career as a Web Designer, Noble offers many professional training options for students hoping to learn Figma. The UX & UI Design Certificate program teaches students in-depth user experience design practices, allowing them to test and research user behavior to make informed decisions about the interfaces they are designing in Figma. This assures that their webpages will be more accessible and easy to navigate.

Noble’s Web Development Certificate program teaches students the technical side of webpage design. After learning how to build a layout in Figma, students will learn how to use HTML/CSS, Flex, Bootstrap, and JavaScript to turn that design into a functioning webpage or user interface. More creatively oriented students may look towards Noble’s Digital Design Certificate program. This course, aimed at aspiring Graphic Designers, will teach students how to build assets for web interfaces using Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, before teaching them how to import those designs into Figma to serve as templates or plug-ins for later use.

Regardless of why a student wants to learn Figma, Noble has a course offering that fits their needs.