38.1 Icon Grid
Icon Grid 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 Icon Grid.
- 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 Icon Grid to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Icon Grid to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Icon Grid
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 Icon Grid, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Icon Grid using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
38.2 Stroke Consistency
Stroke Consistency 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 Stroke Consistency.
- 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 Stroke Consistency to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Stroke Consistency to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Stroke Consistency
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 Stroke Consistency, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Stroke Consistency using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
38.3 Optical Alignment
Optical Alignment 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 Optical Alignment.
- 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 Optical Alignment to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Optical Alignment to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Optical Alignment
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 Optical Alignment, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Optical Alignment using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
38.4 Variants
Variants 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 Variants.
- 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 Variants to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Variants to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Variants
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 Variants, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Variants using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
38.5 Export
Export 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 Export.
- 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 Export to a course website and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a online store and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a banking app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a school portal and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a clinic booking system and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a dashboard and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a restaurant site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a mobile app and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a creator site and explain the decision you made.
- Apply Export to a business landing page and explain the decision you made.
Hands-on example
FIGMA PRACTICE
1. Create a frame named: Export
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 Export, organized well enough for another designer or developer to inspect and understand.
Practice exercise
Create a fresh example for Export using a different product, screen, component, or content set. Explain what changed and why.
Chapter 38 review — 10 questions and answers
1. What is the main purpose of Icon Grid?
Answer: Icon Grid 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 Icon Grid?
Answer: Using Icon Grid visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
3. What is the main purpose of Stroke Consistency?
Answer: Stroke Consistency 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 Stroke Consistency?
Answer: Using Stroke Consistency visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
5. What is the main purpose of Optical Alignment?
Answer: Optical Alignment 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 Optical Alignment?
Answer: Using Optical Alignment visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
7. What is the main purpose of Variants?
Answer: Variants 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 Variants?
Answer: Using Variants visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.
9. What is the main purpose of Export?
Answer: Export 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 Export?
Answer: Using Export visually without consistent naming, reusable structure, realistic content, states, or developer handoff information.