How to convince your team to switch to Figma | Figma Blog (opens in new tab)

Buffer’s move to Figma was presented as a cultural change, not merely a software upgrade. Figma helped break down design silos by making files accessible, collaborative, and usable across platforms. James Morris’s approach was to build support through experimentation and demonstrations rather than simply arguing for the switch.

Buffer’s Transparency and Collaboration Challenges

• Buffer valued transparency, but its existing design tools isolated designers from other departments.
• Designs were difficult to locate in Dropbox and often required paid software or newer versions to open.
• Developers and product managers worried about accidentally overwriting files.
• Figma’s cloud-based files could be opened through shared URLs, with free view-only access for collaborators.
• Linux users could access designs without buying a Mac or specialized desktop software.
• Viewers could comment and inspect design data for implementation.

Step 1: Create an Open Exploration Period

• Morris introduced a company-wide period for testing different design and collaboration tools.
• Teams were encouraged to experiment and identify which tools best addressed their workflow problems.
• He gathered feedback and explained how Figma could solve Buffer’s communication issues.
• Rather than relying only on a persuasive presentation, he trusted hands-on use to demonstrate Figma’s value.

Step 2: Show, Don’t Tell

Collaborative Whiteboarding with Product Managers

• Morris used remote whiteboarding sessions to let product managers experience Figma directly.
• He and a Canadian PM brainstormed together in real time, using shapes and diagrams much like a collaborative Google Doc.
• This allowed them to develop ideas together without waiting for a formal specification.
• Figma’s ease of use became apparent through practical collaboration.

Winning Over Engineers

• Morris gave engineers direct links to Figma files and let them explore independently.
• Engineers could inspect CSS, Swift, and Android XML values through the free view-only experience.
• Stable URLs created a single source of truth, replacing exported images and confusing Dropbox locations.
• Figma’s browser-based architecture and use of WebAssembly also appealed to engineers interested in advanced web technology.

Addressing Designers’ Concerns

• Designers could be more difficult to persuade because some feared open, transparent workflows.
• Others doubted that a browser-based application could match the speed and performance of desktop software.
• The article begins describing the use of incentives—“candy”—to help designers try Figma, but the provided text ends before that section is completed.

The practical recommendation is to make tool adoption an open, low-pressure experiment. Give each team a concrete way to experience the benefits—real-time whiteboarding for product managers, inspectable files for engineers, and performance demonstrations for designers—so the change becomes evident through use.