techlist.io
KREN
figma

In Good Company: How Publishers Use Figma to Help Design the News | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

figmadesign-systemsprototypingcollaborationui-uxtypographymobile-app-design

Publishers are adapting to digital-first journalism by redesigning products, developing new visual identities, and experimenting with formats that attract and retain readers. The article argues that Figma helps media organizations coordinate designers, editors, engineers, and executives while maintaining accuracy, clarity, and accessibility. The New York Times’ redesigned app illustrates how collaborative prototyping can support a broader subscription ecosystem without losing journalism’s central role.

The shift toward digital-first publishing

  • Legacy publishers face accelerating change as audiences move from print to web and mobile.
  • Subscription models are becoming more important amid an unpredictable advertising market, although many readers remain reluctant to pay for online news.
  • Media teams must build stronger relationships with readers while exploring new products and formats.
  • Figma supports this work by keeping multidisciplinary teams aligned during design and experimentation.

The New York Times’ redesigned app

  • Relaunched in October 2024, the app reflects The Times’ strategy of connecting multiple products, including News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter, and The Athletic.
  • The redesign places the Today section and the latest news at the center of the experience.
  • A top navigation system makes other verticals easier to discover, with each product receiving its own home screen.
  • Rather than creating one “super app” feed, the design gives each section a distinct visual identity:
    • Lifestyle uses image-heavy grids with headline overlays, based on a component called a “poster.”
    • Opinion uses stylized headlines to communicate its different editorial perspective.
  • The overall concept treats journalism as the central “sun,” with other products orbiting around it.

Figma as a newsroom collaboration space

  • The project involved section editors, engineers, senior management, product designers, and The Times’ storytelling group.
  • Teams used Figma asynchronously to explore layouts combining text, images, video, and audio.
  • Designers could share interactive prototypes directly instead of preparing as many presentation decks or relying on screen-sharing meetings.
  • The shared workspace helped stakeholders see colleagues’ work immediately and participate in shaping the app’s editorial formats.

The article’s broader recommendation is that collaborative design tools can help publishers manage complex digital transformations while preserving strong editorial identities.