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Many prototyping tools like Figma can add interactivity. You define areas that people can click on, and then when they do click, you can show a corresponding visual, which simulates the experience of using the app.
[MUSIC]
0:00
People say that a picture
is worth a thousand words.
0:04
Which means that often times a visual
can say more than written communication.
0:07
A visual prototype like the one that we've
created does a better job of illustrating
0:12
our intent.
0:17
And could save a lot of emails and
meetings, even if it's just something that
0:18
we're going to throw away or
change down the road.
0:23
However, we can do even
better than just the visual.
0:27
Many prototyping tools like
Figma can add interactivity.
0:30
You define areas that people can click,
and
0:35
then when they do click you can
show a corresponding visual which
0:38
simulates the experience of using the app,
let's check it out.
0:42
Right now, we have three screens from
the application arranged in a row.
0:46
We need to define these as separate
areas using what Figma calls frames.
0:53
A frame is similar to a group but
frames can be exported or
0:59
used as click targets
interactive prototypes.
1:04
Frames can also be treated as separate
screens in an interactive prototype, so
1:08
we want to start by making these
entire screen groups into frames.
1:13
Select the first group in the list,
and then in the inspector
1:20
change it from a Group to a Frame.
1:26
Then do the same thing for
the Editing group, make that into a Frame,
1:31
and then finally the Sharing
group also needs to be a Frame.
1:35
On the last screen, this back button and
1:40
the text back are separate, but
we want to group them together,
1:43
so that when we click on them in the
interact prototype, it's one click target.
1:48
So let's double click this, and double
click it again, and now we have this
1:55
Back button, and let's hold down Shift and
also click on this arrow glyph,
2:00
and we'll just group those together,
so now they're a Group.
2:05
And lets hit 1 to zoom back out, and we'll
do select all this stuff, there we go.
2:09
Now we're ready to connect all these
together into an interactive prototype.
2:16
In the inspector at the very top, click
the PROTOTYPE tab next to the DESIGN tab.
2:20
Now, when we click on a frame or
an object inside of a frame,
2:29
a circle will appear on the right side,
and
2:35
we can connect this to another frame.
2:40
So let's connect this smaller image
of London by double-clicking and
2:44
then double-clicking again
to go into that subgroup.
2:50
And we'll connect this to the editing
frame by clicking on that circle and
2:55
dragging over to the Editing frame until
it's highlighted and then we release.
3:02
So now, when we go to the interactive
prototype, if someone taps on
3:09
this photo of London,
it will bring them to this frame.
3:14
Next, select the screen or the App
group inside of the Editing screen,
3:19
and lets take that circle and
we'll drag it over to the Sharing screen.
3:27
So if we tap anywhere on the screen, sort
of just to dismiss these editing controls,
3:33
it would take us to its finished
photo screen where we can share it.
3:39
And then finally on the Sharing frame, we
should connect up some of these buttons.
3:44
So let's double click and then double
click again on this Back button.
3:49
And we want this to go
back to the Gallery, so
3:56
were all done editing this photo,
we wanna go back to the Gallery,
3:59
we'll click drag on the circle and
we'll point that to the Gallery frame.
4:04
Or alternatively if we wanna go
back to the Editing mode for
4:11
this photo, we'll take this
little pencil icon, click that,
4:15
drag that over to Editing, And release,
4:20
and so now we can fluidly navigate
between these three screens.
4:25
Now, in the upper right,
click the Present button,
4:30
which looks like a play button,
to see this in action.
4:34
And it will take just a second to load up.
4:39
It's brought us to the Sharing screen,
4:42
we hit this Back button,
we'll see the gallery view.
4:46
And if we try to click anywhere
where there's no interactivity,
4:50
Figma will highlight
the areas that we can click.
4:55
So, let's click on this photo of London,
and we've applied some edits,
4:59
we're on the editing screen.
5:04
Again, if we click anywhere
inside the screen here,
5:06
it will bring us to the next screen.
5:09
And if we don't, it will highlight
where we should be clicking.
5:12
And then finally we have
the last screen here,
5:16
and we can go back to Edit, or
we could go back to the Gallery.
5:20
Creating an interactive prototype
like this adds a lot of
5:25
dimensionality to a visual.
5:29
It can give stakeholders
a much better sense
5:31
of what an app will actually
feel like once it's finished.
5:34
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