I’m feeling stuck with Figma’s prototyping features. It’s great for basic stuff, but I’m hitting a wall when it comes to more complex interactions. Remember Axure? That was a powerhouse for wireframing and prototyping back in the day.
Figma’s nice and all, but it’s just not cutting it for the detailed user testing I need to do. The prototypes feel too static. It’s mostly just clicking through screens without the ability to show off intricate interactions or even simple form-filling.
I’m on the hunt for something that can handle more advanced prototyping. Any suggestions for tools that go beyond Figma’s limitations? I’m looking for software that can really show off detailed interactions and make user testing more meaningful. What are you all using these days for more complex prototyping work?
Have you considered Adobe XD? It’s become my go-to for advanced prototyping. While Figma excels in collaboration, XD shines in creating complex, interactive prototypes.
XD’s auto-animate feature is a game-changer for simulating detailed interactions. You can create realistic transitions between artboards, making your prototypes feel more like the final product. The voice prototyping feature is also unique, allowing you to integrate voice commands into your designs.
One aspect I particularly appreciate is the ability to create reusable components with built-in interactions. This saves time and ensures consistency across your prototype.
For user testing, XD’s sharing capabilities are robust. You can share functional prototypes that testers can interact with directly in their browsers, complete with commenting features for feedback.
It does have a learning curve, but Adobe’s extensive tutorials make the transition smoother. Given your needs for detailed user testing, XD might be the tool you’re looking for.
Have you looked into Principle? It’s become my go-to for advanced prototyping when Figma falls short. Principle excels at creating fluid, realistic animations and interactions that really elevate user testing sessions.
What I appreciate most about Principle is its intuitive timeline-based interface. You can easily craft complex transitions and micro-interactions without diving into code. This has been invaluable for demonstrating nuanced UI behaviors to both stakeholders and test participants.
Another standout feature is the ability to import directly from Figma. This streamlines the workflow, allowing you to design in Figma and then bring your assets into Principle for advanced prototyping.
While it does have a bit of a learning curve, the results are worth it. The level of detail and interactivity you can achieve makes for much more meaningful user testing sessions. It’s not as collaborative as Figma, but for creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes, it’s hard to beat.
I’ve been in your shoes, Elizabeth. Figma’s great for quick mockups, but it does fall short for complex prototyping. After experimenting with various tools, I’ve found Framer to be a game-changer for advanced prototyping.
Framer lets you create highly interactive prototypes with real-time animations and transitions. It supports code components, which means you can integrate actual functionality into your prototypes. This has been invaluable for my user testing sessions, as participants can interact with the prototype in a way that closely mimics the final product.
One feature I particularly love is the ability to use variables and conditional logic. This allows for dynamic content and more realistic user flows. It’s not as steep of a learning curve as Axure, but it offers similar power.
That said, it’s not perfect. The pricing can be a bit steep, and there’s still a bit of a learning curve. But for detailed user testing and complex interactions, I’ve found it to be worth the investment. It’s definitely worth giving the free trial a shot to see if it meets your needs.
hey elizabeths, have u tried protopie? its pretty sick for advanced prototyping. u can make some crazy interactive stuff without coding. its got sensors, conditionals, and even 3d stuff. great for showing off complex interactions in user testing. def worth checkin out if ur tired of figmas limitations
I’ve been using InVision Studio for advanced prototyping lately, and it’s been a game-changer. The vector-based design tools are familiar if you’re coming from Figma, but the real power is in the advanced animation and interaction features.
What sets it apart is the timeline-based animation system. You can create complex micro-interactions and transitions that really bring your prototypes to life. This has been invaluable for user testing, as participants can interact with prototypes that feel much closer to a finished product.
Another standout feature is the responsive design capabilities. You can create adaptive layouts that automatically adjust to different screen sizes, which is crucial for thorough testing across devices.
The learning curve is a bit steeper than Figma, but the results are worth it. The ability to create truly dynamic, interactive prototypes has significantly improved the quality of feedback I get during user testing sessions.
It’s not perfect - performance can be a bit sluggish with very complex prototypes, and the collaboration features aren’t as robust as Figma’s. But for advanced prototyping and detailed user testing, it’s been an excellent solution.