22.1 Color Styles
Color Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
Step by step
- Define the design purpose of Color Styles.
- Create the smallest useful frame, component, token, prototype, or document needed for the task.
- Apply consistent naming and structure so another designer can understand the file.
- Test the result in the relevant frame size, interaction state, mode, or prototype.
- Document the important decision so developers or teammates know how it should behave.
10 practical examples
- Apply Color Styles to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Color Styles to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Color Styles
2. Apply a clear layer/component naming system.
3. Build one default state and one alternate state.
4. Test at mobile and desktop sizes when relevant.
5. Add an annotation explaining the design decision.Expected output
A clean Figma artifact demonstrating Color Styles, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Color Styles using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
22.2 Text Styles
Text Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
Step by step
- Define the design purpose of Text Styles.
- Create the smallest useful frame, component, token, prototype, or document needed for the task.
- Apply consistent naming and structure so another designer can understand the file.
- Test the result in the relevant frame size, interaction state, mode, or prototype.
- Document the important decision so developers or teammates know how it should behave.
10 practical examples
- Apply Text Styles to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Text Styles to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Text Styles
2. Apply a clear layer/component naming system.
3. Build one default state and one alternate state.
4. Test at mobile and desktop sizes when relevant.
5. Add an annotation explaining the design decision.Expected output
A clean Figma artifact demonstrating Text Styles, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Text Styles using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
22.3 Effect Styles
Effect Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
Step by step
- Define the design purpose of Effect Styles.
- Create the smallest useful frame, component, token, prototype, or document needed for the task.
- Apply consistent naming and structure so another designer can understand the file.
- Test the result in the relevant frame size, interaction state, mode, or prototype.
- Document the important decision so developers or teammates know how it should behave.
10 practical examples
- Apply Effect Styles to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Effect Styles to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Effect Styles
2. Apply a clear layer/component naming system.
3. Build one default state and one alternate state.
4. Test at mobile and desktop sizes when relevant.
5. Add an annotation explaining the design decision.Expected output
A clean Figma artifact demonstrating Effect Styles, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Effect Styles using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
22.4 When to Use Variables
When to Use Variables is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
Step by step
- Define the design purpose of When to Use Variables.
- Create the smallest useful frame, component, token, prototype, or document needed for the task.
- Apply consistent naming and structure so another designer can understand the file.
- Test the result in the relevant frame size, interaction state, mode, or prototype.
- Document the important decision so developers or teammates know how it should behave.
10 practical examples
- Apply When to Use Variables to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply When to Use Variables to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: When to Use Variables
2. Apply a clear layer/component naming system.
3. Build one default state and one alternate state.
4. Test at mobile and desktop sizes when relevant.
5. Add an annotation explaining the design decision.Expected output
A clean Figma artifact demonstrating When to Use Variables, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for When to Use Variables using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
22.5 Migration Strategy
Migration Strategy is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
Step by step
- Define the design purpose of Migration Strategy.
- Create the smallest useful frame, component, token, prototype, or document needed for the task.
- Apply consistent naming and structure so another designer can understand the file.
- Test the result in the relevant frame size, interaction state, mode, or prototype.
- Document the important decision so developers or teammates know how it should behave.
10 practical examples
- Apply Migration Strategy to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Migration Strategy to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Migration Strategy
2. Apply a clear layer/component naming system.
3. Build one default state and one alternate state.
4. Test at mobile and desktop sizes when relevant.
5. Add an annotation explaining the design decision.Expected output
A clean Figma artifact demonstrating Migration Strategy, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Migration Strategy using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
Chapter 22 review — 10 questions and answers
1. What is the main purpose of Color Styles?
Answer: Color Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
2. What is a common mistake with Color Styles?
Answer: Using Color Styles visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
3. What is the main purpose of Text Styles?
Answer: Text Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
4. What is a common mistake with Text Styles?
Answer: Using Text Styles visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
5. What is the main purpose of Effect Styles?
Answer: Effect Styles is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
6. What is a common mistake with Effect Styles?
Answer: Using Effect Styles visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
7. What is the main purpose of When to Use Variables?
Answer: When to Use Variables is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
8. What is a common mistake with When to Use Variables?
Answer: Using When to Use Variables visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
9. What is the main purpose of Migration Strategy?
Answer: Migration Strategy is a practical Figma skill used to move from rough structure toward a consistent, testable, developer-ready interface. The goal is to understand both the tool action and the design decision behind it.
10. What is a common mistake with Migration Strategy?
Answer: Using Migration Strategy visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.