Figma’s ascent didn’t occur in isolation. Its focus on the community played a pivotal role. From the inception, Figma prioritized direct engagement with designers, inviting valuable and actionable feedback from its future user base. This strategy, termed Organic Community Outreach & Research, encouraged advocacy and cultivated trust, as designers felt their voices were heard and acknowledged in the tool’s development.
Nurturing Designer Advocacy and Human Connection
As the company matured, it continued to engage the community through a two-pronged approach, cultivating relationships with both micro-influencers and macro (super) users. Micro-influencers were everyday designers with smaller, but trusted, social followings, while macro users were industry leaders whose feedback steered the course of Figma's product development. Simultaneously, CEO Dylan Field maintained a personal touch by interacting directly with users, highlighting the human-driven aspect of Figma. Additionally, shared control over social media channels among Figma's teams ensured diverse perspectives and direct, expert responses to community feedback.
Building a Collaborative Space with Config and Plugins
Config, Figma's own conference, was another leap in community development. Unlike traditional conferences where brand executives held the spotlight, Config made community members the keynote speakers. The focus shifted towards how various brands were using Figma, encouraging active interaction and engagement. Furthermore, Figma capitalized on the potential of its creative user base by allowing them to share custom plugins, thus fostering an environment ripe for tool improvement, innovation, and discovery.
Cultivating Ongoing Growth and Learning
Figma has also made strides in facilitating community growth and learning. With a schedule full of events and live streams, a comprehensive archive of best practices, and user groups, Figma encourages knowledge exchange among its users, creating an ecosystem that keeps evolving.
In essence, Figma's success story is a testament to the power of a community-centric approach, a story where users feel seen, heard, and most importantly, valued.
⏪ : Handling Difficult Community Issues: From Conflict to Crisis
📜 : Table of Contents
⏩ : How Others Did It: Roam Research