Figma for Web Design: From Wireframes to Prototypes

Figma is a collaborative tool used for web designing and framing designs that can be converted to code with the notion of converting design into development. There exist a wide variety of designs, prototypes, frames that are required while creating website’s designs. In this article we will cover how to create wireframes to high fidelity prototypes through means of web design.

Wireframes are a basic skeletal of the project that provide a layout of what all the design constitutes of. They are essential and involve a series of three steps: Low Fidelity wireframes, mid fidelity wireframes & high fidelity wireframes. Ranging from low fidelity to high fidelity, we can create a layout of the project in the following steps:

Step 1: Create a low fidelity prototype by using only black border & text color with white background color.

Step 2: Add background colors of gray & light black to all the infographic elements & buttons, basically all those which had a white background will be provided a color in case the web design further wants a specific background color for them other that white. If the background color wanted is white, then there is no need to change the bg color.

Step 3: In order to create a high fidelity wireframe, add specific contrasting colors to the entire website with a uniform color composition. Add the infographic elements at the place of the rectangular boxes where images need to be placed.

Prototypes are a part of UX Design – user interactive that increase the interactivity of the website’s elements with the user. It is a process of creating functionalities for the buttons, different elements that enable the user to interact in the presentation mode. For eg. A hover effect of the button can be made through prototype sections only. Prototypes are applied on almost final designs only, hence, for that purpose we use high fidelity designs to apply prototypes.

Step 1: Add functionalities to all buttons of the web design using components & hover properties. For more information on this topic refer to these articles:

https://www.w3wiki.net/creating-and-using-figma-components/

https://www.w3wiki.net/how-to-create-hover-effect-in-figma/

Step 2: Add links to several footer components on hover, so that when clicked it takes to an external website.

Following Video Shows How all the effects come into play:

• Creating wireframes is essential since we need a basic layout for the website we want to design. It helps in making us aware of the several loopholes that can be resolved during the wireframe step.
• The high fidelity prototype is considered to be the almost design ready site. Just after it gets completed, we can soon start working on the prototypes section to add functionalities in the design.
• Adding prototypes helps increase the interactivity of the website & is used in adding animations, transitions, effects etc.
• High fidelity prototypes are absolute design ready frames that can be submitted or presented to the client. Through the presentation section, we can use the functionalities of the prototypes section & high fidelity wireframes ensure a good design.
• Prototypes help in building a good UX experience (user experience) and wireframes help in building a good UI experience (user interactive).

Creating wireframes & prototypes are considered the two most essential aspects of web designing. Wireframe from low fidelity to high fidelity is the basic step for framing designs & adding UI experiences, where as prototypes are the final touch to add functionalities. Both are an integral part of web designing and must be known in order to create an eye-catchy & beautiful web design.