To structure your design file, you need to add pages for each design process, including a research page, pages for components and styles, a working page, and a page for the finished and approved designs.
Hi! My name is Yana, and I’ve been working with Figma for the last couple of years. It’s easy to lose track of your project when working with numerous designs, so I always keep my files well-organized from the start.
In this article, I will show you how to maintain the structure of your Figma design files and explain what information you should include for easy access to your projects. I will also answer some of the most commonly asked questions.
Let’s get started.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Give detailed names to your design files for efficient collaboration and file organization.
- Consider adding empty pages to add space to the list of your pages for easier navigation.
- Feel free to customize the page names by including emojis and icons.
- If you want to discuss design, then add comments and notes. This way, it will be easier to navigate through your design file and understand your design solutions.
7 Pages You Need to Keep Your Figma Files Organized
Without proper organization, your design space can become messy pretty quickly. Whether you work with a team or as a freelancer, the following tips can help you maintain a tidy file system.
The Figma file structure looks like this:
- Teams
- Projects
- Files
- Pages
Let’s start with Figma’s home page. First, you will see all of your team projects on the right side of the screen. Select one of the teams and select the project you are currently working on.
Once you open the project, you will see the list of the design files. At this point, you want all the files to have detailed names and include the essential data so that they can be quickly recognized. Make sure to include relevant project information such as the project name and date.
Inside the design file, you will need to create separate pages for each step of your design process. Each file has a thumbnail, so let’s start from this point and create a cover image.
1. Cover Image
To create a thumbnail, choose a 1200×720 pixel ratio or use one of the desktop frames from the Figma templates. You can also find some templates in the Figma community.
You want to make sure that your cover image contains the name of the project, a short description if needed, the status, and the start date. Of course, you can customize it, add links to documentation, or mention the team members responsible for this project. Once it’s created, name the page appropriately.
2. Research Page
Problem definition is frequently the first step in the design process, which is followed by research on users and competitors. You also need a page for references and ideas for interface solutions. You can keep it all on this page and refer to it when needed.
3. Components
Even though you can access each component in the Assets tab, it is nice to have them all in one place. You can create a separate page for Components and their variants. Update this page once new components have been added to your project.
4. Style Guide
To maintain consistency, you and your team need to know what fonts, colors, and icons are used for your design project. It not only saves time but also helps maintain brand identity across different platforms. This page is particularly helpful if you pass your design to developers for implementation.
5. Design in Progress
This page contains your working canvas, where you create wireframes, low-fidelity screens, and high-fidelity mobile and web design solutions. It is your draft page where you experiment, try new things, and discuss them with your team or your client. You can also add notes and comments, and implement the changes to your designs.
Don’t forget to keep the content inside this page organized and give detailed names to the design elements and frames.
6. Final Designs
Once your designs are ready to be implemented, you can copy them to this page. Keep it simple without unnecessary information, and include notes or annotations with all the information that developers need to know if your design will be sent to them.
Double check everything to ensure that every design is error-free and displays as intended.
7. Archive
You can keep all the previous designs and decisions that didn’t work out in the archive page. It is helpful to have an archive handy because you may need to refer back to previous iterations or share previous ideas.
This guide is a good starting point, so feel free to experiment, try different ways, and adjust the structure depending on what works best for you and your team.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions below.
Can You Group Files in Figma?
Yes. Users with Professional or Organization accounts can create an unlimited number of group files inside a project. It is similar to the folder structure. Users with a Starter plan can only create one project that will have all the design files.
How Many Pages Can You Have in a Figma File?
With the Starter plan, you can only have one project with three files and three pages inside each. Users with a Professional or Organization plan can create an unlimited number of pages in each design file.
Final Thoughts
A clear file structure will help you and your team quickly and easily navigate through the project. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change the design file structure by listening to your team. For example, you can add extra pages for your team members or a FAQ page where you answer the most common questions about the project.
I hope this article provides you with a better understanding of how to keep Figma files organized.
How do you keep your files organized in Figma? Share your tips in the comments section below.