Design Thinking via Figma | A Case Study

Brief​

As part of my role as a Figma instructor, I guided students through the process of learning UX and UI principles by having them design a functional meal-ordering application, Meal Motion, on the Figma platform. The project was structured to teach students how to apply user-centered design methodologies, conduct fundamental UX research, and prototype engaging and interactive interfaces—all within the Figma environment.

High fidelity mockups

Objectives

• Teach students the fundamentals of UX design by focusing on app creation and the user journey.

• Guide students in designing interactive elements, including animations and motion graphics, using Figma.

• Facilitate the development of low, mid, and high-fidelity prototypes to iteratively refine the user experience.

Challenges 

A key instructional challenge was helping students understand how to create interactions that were not only visually appealing but also functionally beneficial for users. Balancing design aesthetics with usability was emphasized, particularly in teaching students how to use Figma to prototype animations and ensure a seamless user flow.

Learning Goals for Students

• User-Centered Design: Students were taught how to gather insights from competitive research and apply that to the design of personalized meal-ordering features, making the user experience both intuitive and engaging.

• Prototyping Interactive Experiences: Students developed skills in creating Splash screens and Onboarding tutorials within Figma, focusing on how these features improve user onboarding and first-time experiences.

• Design Iteration and Feedback: Through the creation of prototypes at various fidelity levels, students learned the importance of iterative design and user testing to refine their work based on feedback.