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?"