Figma going beyond Design

The new features of Advanced Prototyping and Variables are simply mind-blowing. However, that still leaves a strong intent - Is Figma transitioning to a no-code tool? On the one hand, it’s fantastic because it allows designers to create almost real prototypes without developers. On the other hand, designers will move to develop the prototypes with code logic.

What are No-Code tools?

No-code tools are software applications or platforms that allow people to create and develop digital solutions without needing to write complex code. Instead of writing lines of programming language, users can use visual interfaces, drag-and-drop functionality, and pre-built components to build websites, and applications, or automate processes.

How is Figma transitioning to a No-Code tho?

Variables is a no-code feature because it allows designers to create fully functional prototypes without writing a single line of code.

If we can create a fully functional prototype using the variables feature, what’s stopping us from leveraging it further for complete app development?

We will get a functioning application if we can connect the prototype to a database. So if Figma incorporated a database, everyone could build an application straight from Figma.

Pushing Designers Limit

Figma is encouraging designers to code themselves. They don’t necessarily have to write the code but can construct logic and create fully functional components.

Developers no longer need to build these — we can do it ourselves. To be more precise, developers still need to create these components with code, but the designer can create them to a certain level where developers don’t need to write the code. They can copy and paste it because all the logic is already there.

Risks and the Future Ahead

The one disadvantage of Variables for further collaboration with developers is that, unlike traditional prototyping which had connections to make developers understand the flow, here the developers would need to almost click each frame and understand each conditioning to truly interpret what is going on.

Let me give you an example.

Take a look at this screenshot.

Imagine handing over this file to a developer. Nowhere on the canvas does the prototyped state (shown on the right) appear.

You’d have to rely on your developer opening up prototype mode and clicking around for long enough to discover everything that’s been set up.

This is an opportunity for new kinds of tools and integrations to come around, making life easier for the developers for designers using advanced prototyping. It might also make designers more 'developer-friendly' in terms of their growing understanding of logic and conditioning

The Future ahead

First, companies may start focusing more on building the prototype and less on the design itself.

This means that if the product team asks the designer to construct a complex prototype (which isn’t simple), the designer might work more on the prototype instead of investing this time in resolving the issue. Designers may transition into more technical roles, straying from their original designer roles.

Secondly, a team might have a designated designer whose sole role is to build prototypes, who would act as an almost 'amateur' developer.

This transitional role for someone just to create prototypes is something that really could come to PMs/APMs. No one knows. But the contrast between design and development is really starting to fade away, that's for sure.