We all have heard the phrase “consistency is the key”. It is very much relevant in app development as well.
While using an app we expect certain things from it, one of those being consistency in UI/UX designs, and this is where the design system comes into play. Design systems play a crucial role in the development of an app.
In this article, we will talk about Figma, one of the leading design tools, and how it can be leveraged to ensure consistency throughout the app development process. But before jumping into that, it is necessary to learn about design systems.
Understanding Design Systems
A design system can be defined as a set of rules, guidance, and standards that navigate the design and development of a digital product, providing guidelines on how a brand should look on devices.
Generally, it guides elements like typography, color schemes, and user interface components like buttons, forms, navigation bars, and interaction patterns.
The chief objective of the design system is to provide consistency and make sure that the site looks coordinated regardless of the person working on it.
The Role of Consistency in App Development
Consistency in app development refers to providing similar experiences all over the app. It provides a polished and finished look to the app, enhancing its looks. The look and feel of the design make up the foundation of the app.
Consistency in app development is crucial for several reasons:
User Experience (UX): Consistency in the app visuals makes a familiar and predictable environment for the user, saving him from cognitive load. Consistency and familiarity throughout the app provide a sense of comfort and confidence to the users.
Brand Identity: Consistency throughout the design system contributes to brand identity. Evenness throughout the visual and functional aspects of a brand makes it an extension of the brand itself. This would help the brand to build trust and brand recognition among users.
Efficiency: It will act as a blueprint for Web developers and designers and make sure that they do not need to redesign every new feature on the screen, this narrows down the workflow reducing redundancy and fastening the process.
Scalability: While the app continues to grow and evolve, it becomes challenging to maintain consistency. An established design system makes sure that the design remains cohesive even after the inclusion of new features.
Why Figma?
As you know, there are numerous applications available for app development. So, Why Figma? Many factors contribute to its popularity among developers and designers. Some of these are listed below
Real-Time Collaborators: Multiple people can work on a file at once, which makes it easy for teams to work on a project together. It helps them make sure that everyone is on the same page and make changes instantly if needed.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Figma being a cloud-based tool enables it to operate on various devices and platforms. It doesn’t matter if you are operating it on a Mac, Windows, or even a mobile phone. You can edit your designs anywhere, making them suitable for distributed teams.
Component Libraries: Users can create reusable UI elements as the app supports the creation of component libraries. These can be shared among different devices to maintain consistency in the app.
Version Control: The version control feature allows you to track changes in the design and revert to the previous versions, while also managing updates to the design system effectively. It is necessary for systems where design systems keep evolving.
Integrations: Figma integrates seamlessly with other tools commonly used in app development, such as Sketch, Adobe XD, and even development environments.
Additionally, Figma now offers DEV mode exclusively for developers to simplify designer-to-developer handoff. It simplifies many design-to-code conversion processes such as “Figma to HTML” and “Figma to React” with various plugins and export options.
Steps to Creating a Design System in Figma
Now that we have learned about the importance of consistency in app development and why Figma is the go-to tool for creating design systems. We are ready to delve into the procedure involved in creating a design system on Figma.
Define the Core Principles – Core principles act as the base of the app design. They exhibit the brand’s voice, tone, and overall aesthetics. It displays the key values that your brand is trying to communicate like simplicity, elegance, modernity, or professionalism.
Establish a Color Palette – Creating a color palette for the design system is one of the major steps of the process. It signals a brand’s identity and ideas. In Figma, a shared color library consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are available. It includes various shades and tints for adding more depth, accuracy, and consistency to the design.
Choose Typography – Typography includes appealingly arranging fonts and texts. The text style feature of Figma lets you choose, create, and manage these elements.
The text styles feature assists the user in applying consistent typography throughout the app and makes sure that headings, body text, and subtitles all adhere to the same style.
Design UI Components – User interface components are another crucial element of your app. It includes buttons, forms, menus, navigation bars, and modals.
The component feature of Figma allows you to create these components once and reuse them throughout your design. It also allows you to use these components across various screens. Updating the master component updates all the components on your screen automatically to ensure consistency.
Define Interaction Patterns – Interaction patterns define how users interact with your app. It ensures that the interface is uncomplicated, user-friendly, consistent, and modern and helps users achieve their goals. You can use Figma prototyping features to create an interactive prototype, giving developers an idea or brief on how the app should behave.
Organize and document – Organizing and documentation are important for building a successful product and maintaining consistency. It allows greater scalability and flexibility while reducing miscommunication and inefficiency.
Figma provides commenting and documentation features to add explanations and guidelines for every element of the design. This aspect proves to be very useful for the new team members onboarding and ensuring every one is on the same page.
Implement Version Control – Version control helps the designer, developers, and creative professionals to manage changes in their product throughout the design processes.
It is necessary for making updates and creating versions of the design system while making significant changes. This allows you to experiment and try new designs without disrupting the already operating ones.
Integrate with Development – Once you have established the design in Figma, you can integrate it with the developmental process. Developers can check out all the details they require to implement the design including measurement, aspects, and CSS properties.
The ‘Figma to HTML’ process helps in translating visual designs into functional codes. Developers should have access to Figma files and know how to use the design system. Regular communication between the designer and developer is necessary to maintain consistency in the app.
Conclusion –
We have discussed various reasons, elucidating why Figma is an ideal tool for creating system design. By using Figma, you can create a robust design system that will act as a foundation for your app. Moreover, the “Figma to HTML” feature ensures that the visual and functional are aligned by acting as a bridge between design and development.
Various features that we have discussed above can help in maintaining consistency throughout the designing process. You can also hire HTML developers to work in harmony with your design system and codes, ensuring the quality of the app. This will give users a better experience.
