Beyond mocks: co-designing journeys, diagrams, and more | Figma Blog

Design is more than producing interface mocks; it also involves shaping customer experiences, processes, culture, and community. Segment’s product design team demonstrates how designers can collaborate with researchers, product managers, engineers, and other colleagues using shared visual artifacts. These co-designing practices create organizational sources of truth, improve decision-making, and strengthen team connections.

Mapping the Customer Journey with UX Research

• A designer and UX researcher mapped Segment’s end-to-end customer experience, from discovery and sign-up through scaled implementation.
• The journey was organized around different customer tiers and enriched with analytics.
• An interactive prototype included clickable customer stories.
• The resulting file became both a reference point for the company and an onboarding resource.

Diagramming Data Architecture

• Designers, researchers, customer success managers, and infrastructure engineers collaborated to visualize how data moves through Segment.
• The diagram showed where data is transformed, enriched, and cleaned.
• It helped the team identify existing strengths and areas needing improvement.
• The artifact became foundational for planning future products and served as another organizational source of truth.

Retrospecting on the Design System

• Segment’s open-source Evergreen design system is used by teams beyond design, making cross-functional feedback especially important.
• Designers and engineers held a remote retrospective in Figma using virtual sticky notes.
• Participants documented pain points and identified opportunities for improvement.
• The exercise informed the following quarter’s OKRs and helped the team co-design a roadmap for Evergreen.

Building Community Through Collaboration

• Co-designing can support social connection as well as product and process work.
• For International Women’s Day, remote EPD teammates collaborated in Figma to create personalized appreciation notes for female-identifying colleagues.
• The team also adapted the practice for virtual birthday cards and other celebrations.
• These activities helped preserve meaningful workplace rituals while working remotely.

The article encourages teams to expand co-design beyond product mocks. Shared journeys, diagrams, retrospectives, and collaborative community activities can make complex work visible, align diverse teammates, and create stronger connections.