Figma

Figma

Figma is a collaborative web application for interface design, with additional offline features enabled by desktop applications for macOS and Windows.
The feature set of Figma focuses on user interface and user experience design, with an emphasis on real-time collaboration, utilizing a variety of vector graphics editor and prototyping tools. The Figma mobile app for Android and iOS allows viewing and interacting with Figma prototypes in real-time on mobile and tablet devices.

It is a cloud-based vector graphic design tool. It’s like other design tools like Photoshop and Sketch, but with a few key differences. Figma is entirely web-based, so you can use it on any computer with an internet connection. There’s no need to download or install anything. Second, Figma files are stored in the cloud, so they’re easy to share and collaborate on. And finally, Figma has a few features that make it unique, like the ability to version control your designs and leave comments for collaborators.

INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS

Pedagogical background

Figma can be a paradigm shift for pedagogy. It can guide students in shared virtual spaces, make lessons truly interactive, and close feedback gaps for better learning outcomes.
Among others, It is possible to organize and deliver course content, facilitate engaging group activities, run interactive critiques and feedback sessions, build community within the classroom, collaborate on group projects and build out portfolios.

This tool can be effectively used in educational contexts for many purposes:

• Create work teams as a central part of the syllabus, notes, brainstorms, student activities and assignments.
• Collaborate synchronously with students in the same file. Teach while performing joint activities in the same virtual space.
• Give feedback with context directly to students’ work without the need to handle or download large files.
• Get to know the students and get to know each other.
• Collaborate on group projects.
• Create a portfolio.
• Organize work and project activities.
• Create meeting spaces for students.

Assessment

It can be used for summative assessment or for formative assessment to stimulate reflection or critical thinking. Through the tool, students can carry out training activities both individually and in groups. When they are done in groups, they can contribute simultaneously. The teacher can review the activities interactively and give feedback to the students.

Use cases/examples of usage: (tutorial)

Strenght: Professional design tools made free for education, can easily set up and manage virtual classrooms where lecturer and students can collaborate.

Weakness: It can be difficult to learn how to use if you are not already familiar with vector-based design tools.

People opinion about the tool: https://www.getapp.com/development-tools-software/a/figma/reviews/

Similar Tool: Sketch; Adobe Photoshop; Adobe XD; Invision Studio; Framer; Design on Windows; Miro.

Technical and operational requirements: Device with web browser and Internet connection for the online version.
The minimum browser requirements are:

• • Chrome 66+
  • Firefox 78+
  • Safari 13+
  • Microsoft Edge 79+
• For the on-premises version:
  • Windows: must be running Windows 8 or later in a 64-bit environment.
  • MacOS: Must be running 10.12 (macOS Sierra) or later.