Master Figma Variables: From Prototyping to Design Systems

Video Description

Unlock the full potential of Figma variables and take your design workflow from simple prototyping to full-fledged, production-ready design systems. In this step-by-step session you’ll learn how to: ➡️ Define all the different types of Figma variables ➡️ Use variables within prototyping to rapidly iterate interactive flows ➡️ How to swap variants using variables ➡️ Define and manage variables for creating scaleable design systems ➡️ Best practices to structure your variables, maintain them over time, and avoid common pitfalls designers face If you’re a UI/UX designer, design system owner, product designer or team lead looking for smarter ways to work in Figma, this is your deep dive into variables. You’ll walk away with concrete techniques you can apply today. 🔗 KEY LINKS 📣 JOIN THE COMMUNITY: https://uicollective.co/ ❓ Why Join UI Collective Academy? Get access to premium courses, premium downloads, and so much more on the way (I am largely building this solo...trying to make design education available for all, support goes a long way!) ↪️ Need a design system? (also included in the academy): https://collectivekit.co/ 🔗 OTHER VIDEOS Build a Design System: https://youtu.be/opTANvl9G1g Complex Design System Setup: https://youtu.be/L-tpK7Eeuow 🔗 MORE LINKS 📣 Let us build or fix your design system: https://designsystemlabs.co/ ✉️ [email protected] My LinkedIn (not accurate): https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mcneill-km/ 0:00 An Introduction 0:16 Is a Figma Variable a Design Token? 2:30 Boolean Variables Intro 5:50 Prototyping with Boolean Variables 11:00 Intro to Number Variables 13:29 Prototyping Using Number Variables 16:09 Doing Math Using Number Variables 20:11 Layering Figma Prototyping Logic 23:43 Intro to String Variables 30:03 Swapping Variables Using String Variables 36:24 Intro to Conditional Logic 37:16 Prototyping with Conditional Logic 43:36 Intro to Color Variables 44:29 Intro to Figma Modes 48:39 Intro to Design System Setup 50:58 Building the Brand Collection 57:39 Building the Alias Collection 1:04:40 Introduction to the Mapped Collection 1:06:31 Building Surface Colors 1:11:47 Building Border Colors 1:14:05 Building Text Colors 1:17:41 Building Icon Colors 1:19:19 Building a Dark Mode 1:22:01 Testing Our Modes 1:23:07 Type Variables 1:26:09 Border Radius & Border Width Variables 1:27:51 Building Responsive Designs with Variables 1:31:06 Jumper Variables Intro 1:34:20 Scoping Your Figma Variables 1:36:23 Outro