Prototyping & Interaction Design
intermediateTopic 6 of 10 in UI/UX Design
What it is
Prototyping is building interactive simulations of your design that look and feel like the real product. Interaction design defines how users interact with UI elements — animations, transitions, micro-interactions.
Why ui/ux design developers need it
Static mockups cannot communicate how an app feels to use. Prototypes let you test flows with real users, demonstrate ideas to stakeholders, and discover usability issues before any code is written.
What to learn
Interactive prototyping in Figma
Micro-interactions: hover, focus, loading states
Page transitions and animations
Prototype for mobile and desktop
User testing with prototypes
Motion design principles: easing, timing, purpose
Handoff: exporting specs and flows for developers
Practice project
Interactive Onboarding Flow
Design and prototype a three-step onboarding flow for a mobile app in Figma. Include smooth transitions between steps, input validation states, a progress indicator, and a completion animation.