On July 24, Figma announced the General Availability (GA) of Make—a feature that turns plain text prompts into interactive prototypes. This shift moves Figma from “a design tool” toward an end-to-end workflow builder. In this guide, you’ll learn how to ship an internal tool prototype in under one hour—from the very first prompt to a shareable prototype.
Table of Contents
- Why This Matters Now
- Step 1 – Prepare Your Environment
- Step 2 – From Prompt to Initial Layout
- Step 3 – Add Interactions & Data Flow
- Step 4 – Share, Test, and Iterate
- Real-World Use Cases
- Limitations & Future Outlook
Why This Matters Now
Figma Make is more than design automation. It bridges text prompts → functional prototypes, turning abstract ideas into something teams can click, test, and iterate on. For startups and internal teams, this means faster iteration cycles and lower prototyping costs.
- Non-designers can produce working prototypes
- Automatic generation of navigation, buttons, and forms
- Instant sharing for real-time feedback
Step 1 – Prepare Your Environment
Open the Figma Desktop App or Web and enable the Make tab. Recommended setup:
- Create a new project → choose the “Internal Tools” template
- Activate the Prompt Panel to start typing instructions
- Invite teammates if you plan to co-build in real time
Time: ~5 minutes
Step 2 – From Prompt to Initial Layout
Use a clear, structural prompt. For example:
What happens next:
- A sidebar, top bar, and main panel are generated automatically
- Default UI components (buttons, inputs, lists) are placed into position
- Colors and typography follow Figma’s system styles
Time: ~15 minutes
Tip: If the initial draft misses elements, refine your prompt with explicit components (e.g., “add a filter bar with status chips”).
Step 3 – Add Interactions & Data Flow
A layout is good, but an internal tool needs interaction. With the Interaction Flow Builder, you can:
- Connect the “New Ticket” button to a form screen
- Switch panels with tab clicks (e.g., “All / Open / Closed”)
- Update a dummy data list with user input for realistic flows
Time: ~20 minutes
Tip: Use simple state changes first. Complex UX patterns often need manual adjustment after auto-generation.
Step 4 – Share, Test, and Iterate
Send a shareable link to teammates for testing. Recommended workflow:
- Post the prototype link in Slack/Teams for instant feedback
- Tweak the prompt or layout based on input
- Pass the validated prototype to your dev team
Time: ~15–20 minutes
Total: ~55–60 minutes from first prompt to collaboration-ready prototype.
Real-World Use Cases
Where Figma Make shines:
- Internal tools: dashboards for customer support or inventory
- Startup pitches: quick MVP demos before fundraising
- Product managers: turn a feature idea into a clickable flow overnight
| Use Case | Primary Value |
|---|---|
| Support dashboard | Faster triage & clearer workflows |
| Inventory panel | Immediate visibility; better decisions |
| Pitch-ready MVP demo | Communicate value without engineering time |
| PM feature flow | Validate UX hypotheses overnight |
Limitations & Future Outlook
Current limitations:
- No live database or API integration yet
- Complex UX flows may need manual adjustment
- Prompt accuracy is stronger in English than other languages
Looking ahead, data integration and external tool connections are widely anticipated by the community. These are not official commitments; consider them informed expectations based on public hints and user feedback.