figma-user-flow-planner

Figma User Flow Planner Skill

Plans what needs to be designed before a pixel is touched — mapping all screens, states, entry points, and edge cases so designers do not discover missing states mid-build.

Required Inputs

• Feature or task being designed
• User type (who performs this flow?)
• Platform (iOS / Android / Web / Multi-platform)
• Starting point (where does the user begin?)
• Known edge cases (optional)

Output Structure

1. Flow Overview

Feature, user, goal, entry points, success exit, failure exits.

2. Screen Map

| # | Screen name | Type | Triggered by | Notes |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| 1 | [Screen] | New/Modal/Drawer/Toast | [What triggers] | [Considerations] |

Screen types to cover: entry, happy path, loading, success, error (network/validation/permission), empty, first-time/onboarding, edge cases.

3. State Matrix

[Screen name]

| State | Trigger | Visual change | Action available |

|---|---|---|---|

| Default | Page load | [Description] | [What user can do] |

| Loading | User taps action | Skeleton/spinner | None |

| Error | API failure | Error message | Retry/Go back |

| Empty | No data | Empty state | [CTA] |

4. Decision Points

Decision: [Name]

• If yes: [Screen N]
• If no: [Screen X]

5. Suggested Figma File Structure

Feature name/
- Cover
- Flow Map
- Happy Path
- Error States
- Empty States
- Edge Cases
- Handoff

6. What Not to Design Yet

[Explicit out-of-scope items — prevents scope creep]

Quality Checks

• [ ] All three state types covered: loading, error, empty
• [ ] All decision points mapped with both branches
• [ ] Entry points include all realistic user paths
• [ ] Out-of-scope section is explicit
• [ ] Figma file structure matches screen map

Anti-Patterns

• [ ] Do not plan only the happy path — all error states, empty states, and edge cases must be mapped before designing starts
• [ ] Do not produce a flow map that doesn't match the Figma file structure — the page structure must reflect the flow map
• [ ] Do not define screens without specifying all required states — a screen without its variants is an incomplete design scope
• [ ] Do not start designing before entry and exit points are fully documented — unclear boundaries cause scope creep
• [ ] Do not plan user flows without tying each step back to a user goal — every screen must justify its existence

Example Trigger Phrases

• "Plan the user flow for [feature] in Figma"
• "What screens do I need to design for [feature]?"
• "Map out the states for [feature] before we start designing"
• "Help me structure my Figma file for [feature]"
• "What do we need to design before handing this to the developer?"