Prototyping is a crucial step in the design process that allows designers to create interactive and functional models of their designs. This module will introduce you to the basics of prototyping in Figma, helping you understand how to bring your static designs to life.

1. What is Prototyping?

   • Prototyping is the process of creating a preliminary model of a product to test and validate design concepts.
   • It allows designers to simulate user interactions and gather feedback before the final development.

2. Benefits of Prototyping

   • User Testing: Prototypes enable user testing to identify usability issues early.
   • Feedback and Iteration: They facilitate feedback from stakeholders and users, allowing for iterative improvements.
   • Cost-Effective: Identifying issues early in the design process saves time and resources.

3. Types of Prototypes

   • Low-Fidelity Prototypes: Simple sketches or wireframes that focus on layout and functionality without detailed design.
   • High-Fidelity Prototypes: Detailed and interactive models that closely resemble the final product.

Let's create a basic prototype to understand the process.

1. Create a New Frame

   • Open Figma and create a new frame by selecting the Frame tool (F) and drawing a rectangle on the canvas.

2. Design the Interface

   • Add basic UI elements like buttons and text using the Shape and Text tools.
   • Example:

     [Button] [Text Field]
     

3. Linking Elements for Interaction

   • Select the button and click on the "Prototype" tab in the right panel.
   • Drag the blue circle from the button to the text field to create an interaction.
   • Set the interaction to "On Click" and choose an action like "Navigate to" another frame.

4. Preview the Prototype

   • Click the "Play" button in the top-right corner to preview your prototype.
   • Interact with the elements to see how the prototype behaves.

While Figma is a visual tool, understanding the logic behind interactions is crucial. Here's a pseudo-code representation of a simple interaction:

Task: Design a simple login screen with a button that navigates to a welcome screen.

1. Create two frames: one for the login screen and one for the welcome screen.
2. Add a button to the login screen.
3. Set up an interaction that navigates to the welcome screen when the button is clicked.

• Ensure the button on the login screen is linked to the welcome screen using the "Prototype" tab.
• Test the interaction by previewing the prototype.

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to switch to the "Prototype" tab when setting interactions.
• Not testing the prototype after setting up interactions.

In this section, you learned the basics of prototyping in Figma, including creating simple interactions and understanding the importance of prototyping in the design process. As you progress, you'll explore more advanced techniques to enhance your prototypes, making them more interactive and realistic. In the next topic, we'll dive deeper into creating interactive components, building on the foundation you've established here.