Introduction

In the fast-paced world of design, efficiency is paramount. As a UI/UX designer, you want to create stunning user experiences without sacrificing quality or cutting corners. In this guide, we’ll explore practical tips and techniques that will empower you to design faster and more effectively.

At PRIOT, we understand the importance of streamlining the design process without compromising creativity. By sharing our expertise, we hope to inspire UI/UX designers and showcase our commitment to delivering exceptional design solutions. Let’s dive into the world of efficient design!


Get Inspired for Speed

Although it may seem like a counterintuitive step, make sure to take the time to get inspired. Before diving into your design tasks, set the mood for creativity by creating a conducive environment. Make yourself a delicious cup of coffee or your favorite drink, put on some music that sparks your creative juices, and settle into your design space.

Now, indulge in inspiration by visiting websites like:

These platforms offer a plethora of remarkable designs and innovative ideas that can serve as a wellspring of creativity for your own projects.

As you explore, remember to set a time limit. Inspiration can be a rabbit hole, and while it’s essential to fuel your imagination, you also want to keep your productivity in check.

Once you’re inspired, take screenshots of designs that resonate with you and paste them into Figma. Use Figma comments to jot down specific elements you liked and where you might incorporate them into your own product.

Taking initial time for inspiration and organization will make all other aspects of your design process smoother, faster, and more enjoyable, and it will keep you motivated throughout your project.


“Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.“

Austin Kleon

Sketching for Swift Wireframing

Before diving into digital design tools, return to the simplicity of pen and paper or a tablet for wireframing. Sketching allows your ideas to flow freely and quickly, helping you explore numerous design possibilities.

A powerful exercise for generating ideas is The Crazy 8’s exercise – draw 8 screens in 8 minutes, dedicating one minute to each screen. This exercise might produce wild and unconventional ideas, but it’s an excellent way to unleash your creativity.

Only after you have a clear vision of how your screens will look, move on to designing with your computer.

Embracing this analog-to-digital approach will help you avoid getting stuck in the minutiae of digital design too early in the process.


Figma Traps & Hacks

Figma, as one of the leading design tools, can significantly enhance your UI design workflow. To make the most of it, consider these Figma traps and hacks:

Early Feedback & Figma Comments

Collaboration is key to successful design. Don’t wait until you’ve polished your design to share it with team members and clients. As soon as you have something to show in Figma, share the link and encourage others to use Figma comments. The quick feedback loop will save time and lead to more refined designs.

When taking in feedback, learn to discern which issues are crucial to address and which can be overlooked without compromising the product’s value. Knowing what truly matters will help you allocate your time and effort wisely, especially when working on projects with budget constraints.

Extra tip: When in doubt, don’t hesitate to use Chat GPT as your design companion. Prompt it with questions like, “Should I include a back button on a mobile web app?” or “Best practices of X.” Chat GPT will provide valuable insights to guide your decision-making.

Figma Plugins

Figma’s plugin ecosystem is a treasure trove of time-saving tools. Explore and find plugins that align with your specific needs. One favorite among designers is the “Material Symbols” plugin, which enables you to search and import Google icons directly into Figma. Say goodbye to saving SVGs to your desktop!

Additionally, plugins like “Artboard Studio Mockups” allow you to create simple mockups right within Figma, streamlining your design process further. Discover plugins for user profile pictures, color contrast checks, and more – they will revolutionize the way you design.

Figma Shortcuts

Mastering Figma’s shortcuts can dramatically speed up your workflow.

For example, use the command+shift+C shortcut to copy a selected frame as a PNG to your clipboard. This is incredibly handy when sharing pictures in chats or creating mockups.

Don’t forget the “k” key, which lets you resize without losing the right dimensions – a small but powerful time-saver.

More about Figma shortcuts.


Developer Handoff Made Easy

Efficient developer handoff is essential for seamless project execution. To facilitate this process, consider the following tips:

Effective Prototyping

While prototypes are valuable for testing, they may not be necessary for presenting the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to your team or clients.

Avoid getting lost in perfecting intricate animations at this stage. Instead, focus on creating logically organized frames with meaningful names.

Fortunately, Figma’s new feature using variables and if/else statements has made prototyping more efficient and less time-consuming.

Consistent Styles & Source of Truth

Document all type, color, shadow, grid and other styles used in your design.

Consistency is crucial for a polished end product. Figma’s variables feature can be a game-changer, allowing you to manage and update design tokens across your design with ease.

By providing developers with a clear “Source of Truth,” you ensure that the final implementation remains true to your vision.

The Power of Material Symbols

Utilizing Google’s Material Symbols icons can save you and your development team significant time. By incorporating these widely recognized icons, you eliminate the need to download and send custom icon files. Moreover, with the Material Symbols plugin mentioned earlier, importing these icons directly into Figma is a breeze.


Conclusion

Designing faster doesn’t mean cutting corners; it means working smarter. By embracing inspiration, sketching for swift wireframing, and utilizing Figma traps and hacks, you’ll achieve greater efficiency in your UI/UX design process. Streamlining developer handoff with effective prototyping, consistent styles, and readily available icons will ensure your vision becomes a reality.

At PRIOT, we are dedicated to delivering UI/UX designs that are creative and data-driven. If your company needs assistance in creating exceptional user interfaces, we are here to help. Let’s partner up and make your system user-friendly.