The Perfect Spacing Framework in UI Design | Figma Tutorial

Summary

This video script outlines a UI design tutorial focused on the four-point grid system, a method for creating consistent and visually appealing designs. The instructor demonstrates how to apply this system to various UI elements, emphasizing that spacing should be divisible by four to maintain harmony. Examples from mobile and web app designs are used to illustrate the concept, showing how it ensures scalability and ease of understanding for developers. The script also suggests tools like Figma, Token Studio, Zeppelin, and Storybook.js to enhance UI design consistency and project management.

Takeaways

• 📏 The four-point grid system is a UI design principle where spacing between elements should be divisible by four.
• 🎯 Consistent use of the four-point grid system ensures alignment and harmony in UI design.
• 📈 Incremental spacing values such as 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, and 60 pixels are recommended.
• 📱 The system is applicable across different platforms, including mobile and web applications.
• 🔍 Spacing inside a container should be less than the spacing of the container itself to create a sense of grouping.
• 👥 For elements that are not part of a group, larger spacing can be used to visually separate them.
• 🛠️ Tools like Figma, Token Studio, Zeppelin, and Storybook.js can aid in managing and maintaining consistent UI designs.
• 💡 The four-point grid system simplifies communication with developers regarding spacing in UI designs.
• 🌐 The tutorial provides practical examples of how to apply the four-point grid system in different design scenarios.
• 📚 Further learning resources, such as the Figma masterclass course, are available for advanced UI design techniques.

Q & A

What is the main concept of the four point grid system for UI design?

The main concept of the four point grid system is to ensure that the space between any element in a UI design is divisible by four, which helps in creating consistent and scalable designs.

Why is it important to use the four point grid system in UI design?

Using the four point grid system in UI design is important because it provides consistency, scalability, and ease of understanding for developers, which in turn leads to better alignment and spacing in the design.

How does the four point grid system help in aligning UI elements?

The four point grid system helps in aligning UI elements by ensuring that the spacing between elements is a multiple of four, which creates a harmonious and visually appealing layout.

What are some of the spacing increments suggested by the four point grid system?

The spacing increments suggested by the four point grid system are 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, and 60 pixels, all in increments of four.

How does the speaker demonstrate the practical application of the four point grid system in the tutorial?

The speaker demonstrates the practical application of the four point grid system by showing three different designs, adjusting the spacing between elements, and explaining how the system helps in achieving a consistent look.

What is the relationship between the spacing of container elements and the elements inside them according to the tutorial?

According to the tutorial, the spacing of elements inside a container should be less than the spacing of the container itself to create a sense of grouping and relevance among the internal elements.

How does the speaker use the four point grid system to create a hierarchy in the design?

The speaker uses the four point grid system to create a hierarchy in the design by starting with broader measurements and then decreasing the spacing as the design goes deeper, ensuring that each level has a consistent and visually distinct spacing.

What tools does the speaker recommend for managing tokens and project files in UI design?

The speaker recommends using the Figma plugin Token Studio for managing tokens and Zeppelin for managing the entire project, including grid layouts, Design Systems, and project files for developers.

How does the speaker address the issue of spacing in different types of UI designs, such as mobile and web?

The speaker addresses the issue of spacing in different types of UI designs by emphasizing that the four point grid system is applicable and effective for both mobile and web designs, ensuring consistency across platforms.

What is the significance of using divisible-by-four measurements in the four point grid system?

Using divisible-by-four measurements in the four point grid system is significant because it provides a consistent baseline that helps in creating a harmonious and visually balanced design, which is easier for developers to implement and maintain.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 'The Four Point Grid System for UI Design Consistency'

The speaker introduces a UI design masterclass focusing on the four point grid system. This system advocates for consistent spacing in UI design, where all space between elements should be divisible by four. The speaker recites a sequence of spacing increments (4, 8, 12, 16, etc.) and demonstrates how this system can be applied practically to different UI elements in mobile and web designs. The goal is to achieve a harmonious and visually appealing layout that is also developer-friendly. The speaker also mentions a Figma masterclass for more advanced techniques and tools like Token Studio for managing design tokens.

05:01

🛠️ 'Applying the Four Point Grid System in Various UI Scenarios'

In this paragraph, the speaker elaborates on how the four point grid system can be applied across different UI design scenarios. They discuss how to maintain consistency in spacing by using multiples of four for padding and margins, regardless of whether the design is for mobile or web. The speaker provides examples, including a sidebar with 20 pixels of padding and a hero section with 32 pixels on the sides, illustrating how spacing can vary within different components while still adhering to the grid system. They also recommend tools like Zeppelin for project management and Storybook.js for design systems, emphasizing the importance of consistency in UI design.

Keywords

💡UI design

UI design, which stands for User Interface design, refers to the visual elements and interactive aspects of a software application or website. In the video, UI design is the central theme, with the presenter discussing how to improve the consistency and aesthetics of interfaces using a specific design system.

💡Spacing

Spacing in UI design pertains to the deliberate placement of gaps between design elements such as text, images, and buttons. The script emphasizes the importance of consistent spacing to achieve a harmonious and professional look, as exemplified by the four-point grid system.

💡Four-point grid system

The four-point grid system is a design principle introduced in the video where spacing between UI elements should be divisible by four. This system is said to create consistency and scalability in design, as illustrated by the various design examples provided by the presenter.

💡Auto layout

Auto layout is a feature in design tools like Figma that automatically adjusts the size and position of UI elements based on predefined constraints. The script mentions using Auto layout in Figma to create space between elements, demonstrating its utility in adhering to the four-point grid system.

💡Consistency

Consistency in UI design means maintaining uniformity in the use of design elements such as colors, typography, and spacing. The video underscores the role of the four-point grid system in achieving consistency across different design elements and platforms.

💡Divisible by four

The concept of measurements being divisible by four is a key aspect of the four-point grid system. It implies that spacing measurements should be multiples of four (e.g., 4, 8, 12, 16) to ensure visual harmony, as repeatedly shown in the design examples throughout the script.

💡Figma

Figma is a collaborative interface design tool used for creating and prototyping UI designs. The script uses Figma as a platform to demonstrate how to apply the four-point grid system and Auto layout to UI design.

💡Design Systems

A design system is a set of reusable design elements and guidelines that ensure consistency across different parts of a project or a product. The video touches on how the four-point grid system contributes to a robust design system, making it easier for designers and developers to collaborate.

💡Project Management Tools

Project management tools are software applications that help teams organize and track their work. The script suggests tools like Zeppelin for managing design projects, highlighting their importance in maintaining consistency and efficiency in design workflows.

💡Tokens

Tokens in UI design are predefined values for design elements such as colors, spacing, and typography. The video mentions using Figma plugins like Token Studio to manage tokens, which helps in maintaining consistent spacing across designs.

Highlights

Introduction to the four-point grid system for UI design

Spacing should be divisible by four for consistency

Recitation of the four-point grid system increments

Practical application of the grid system in UI design examples

Importance of aligning internal spacing with container spacing

Using Auto Layout in Figma to manage spacing

How spacing affects the perception of grouped elements

Consistency in spacing for scalability and developer understanding

Tutorial on applying the grid system to different design elements

Maintaining consistency with the four-point grid in various designs

Explanation of spacing in a welcome banner design

Demonstration of spacing in a crypto coin container

Application of the grid system in a web app design

Creating systematic spacing between design elements

Use of the four-point grid system in a search listings page design

Visual communication through spacing in UI design

Recommendation of tools for managing tokens and project management

Encouragement to subscribe for more design tutorials

Transcripts

have you able to take a look at your

designs your UI design specifically and

thought what the hell am I doing yes I

do inconsistent spacing things don't

look aligned but you can't seem to

figure out what the actual problem is

let me tell you the solution is so

simple in this all-in-one spacing

masterclass for UI designers I'm going

to teach you the four point grid system

so the entire concept and the entire

premise around the four point grid

system is that whenever you are creating

space between any element it should be

divisible by four so with my eyes closed

I am going to recite to you the four

point grid system so it's either going

to be four eight sixteen sorry take that

back 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56

60 and just increments of four

[Applause]

it's that simple so let's take a look at

three different designs that I've done

and I'm going to show you how you can

utilize this practically so over here

you can see that we have two mobile

screens so if I go ahead and select the

top component which is the overview

component over on the right hand side

because I'm using Auto layout in figma I

can go ahead and create space in between

all the elements inside so you can see

that right now it's 8 pixels it could be

12 pixels it could be 16 pixels but you

can see that for some odd reason as you

start to increase that spacing from 8 to

16 it just looks a little bit off as you

can see so if we go back and turn it

back to 8 pixels the reason why it looks

a little bit better at 8 pixel is

because if you go ahead and look at the

proximity of this design this entire box

on the outside we have created spacing

for 16 pixels right so it's divisible by

4 so on the left and right in the top

and bottom you can see that there is 16

pixels so any elements on the inside it

has to have less spacing than the

container element okay so once you go to

let's just make it 16 it looks a little

bit weird because we've created the

bounding space of this container to be

16 already so for the elements inside it

has to feel closer together to feel like

they are a relevant group so if we use

12 looks a little bit better if we use

eight looks even better and let's just

take a look at four might even look the

best so as you can see utilizing the

four point grid system first keeps all

your measurements very consistent it's

scalable and it's easy for developers to

actually understand what sort of spacing

we're going to be using now if you want

to learn more about Auto layouts more

Advanced Techniques learn my end-to-end

process for how to manage an entire

project all within figma with industry

leading tips and tricks then make sure

to check out my figma masterclass course

I can't cover everything in YouTube

videos so make sure to check out the

link there's a 10 off coupon code but

with that said let's continue with this

tutorial so let's go ahead and take a

look at another group as you can see we

have a component over here where we have

a welcome banner and you can see on the

left and right there is 16 pixel padding

on the left and right as you can see

right there and then we have four pixels

on the top and bottom so throughout all

my designs I am always consistently

using the four point grid system let's

go ahead and take a look at this

container of all these crypto coins as

you can see this is the the apparent

container if I double click into one of

the elements which is the the coin

listing you can see that there is 12

pixels right in between elements padding

16 pixels on the left and right and then

8 pixels on the top and bottom so if I

double click into that component you can

see that we have 20 pixels between those

groups inside as you can see we are

always using measurements that are

divisible by four okay so let's go ahead

and take a look at another design over

here so this is another design that I've

done and it's a web app so it's not

mobile it's also for desktop so as you

can see everything is divisible by four

so if I go ahead and select the actual

header itself you can see we have 32

pixels on the left and right so that's

divisible by four and then we on the top

and bottom we also have 16 pixels if I

double click into the component that

contains the logo a toggle and the

search icon you can see that there is 12

pixels right between all the components

on the right hand side you can see that

we have 20 pixels between all the

components as you can see remember the

para container has 32 pixels on the left

and right so anything in between needs

to be below 32 pixels let's go ahead and

take a look at this one one over here

the hero section we have 32 pixels on

the left and right and if I go into the

left container over here you can see

that we have 24 pixels between all the

components so we go from 32 down to 24

and then if we go even a level deeper

you should be able to see that inside

the input we have spacings of 20. so

once again starting with a broad

measurement going down down further and

always keeping it divisible by four is

going to help you create really

consistent UI designs so let's go ahead

and take a look at one more example so

here we have the search listings a page

that's dedicated to accommodation for

listings right or listings for

accommodation sorry so let's take a look

at the the sidebar for example here we

have a sidebar as you can see we have 20

pixels on the left and right and the top

and bottom all right just over here then

if I double click into the actual

container we have 40 pixels in between

each section now here you might be

saying let's go that doesn't really

follow the rule but remember because we

are working within this container we are

now trying to create separation right we

are actually not trying to make all

these elements feel like they are in one

group we are actually trying to tell

visually communicate visually that this

sidebar is all relevant to each other

but all these blocks these separate

blocks as you can see in here they are

not relevant to each other so that's why

we are actually creating more space in

between okay but then when we've got a

little bit deeper into each block as you

can see over here we went from 20 on the

left and right to 12 between the title

and the import and then as you can see

over here we have 12 and then if I

double click onto the title the title

only has eight so we started off at 20

then we went into 12 then we went into

eight and that is how you create

systematic spacing between all your

designs and that's how you can keep all

your UI designs very very consistent it

doesn't matter if it's for mobile it

doesn't matter if it's for web it will

always work so throughout all these

designs I've actually utilized the four

point grid system and as you can see

it's very consistent and it always tends

to make your designs look beautiful now

if you're looking for tools to help you

manage your tokens for more advanced

designers I would definitely recommend

the figma plug-in token Studio which

allows you to create systematic spacing

or tokens if you will to manage

different types of spacing throughout

your UI designs now if you're looking

for project management tools I would

definitely recommend Zeppelin to help

you manage the entire project from grid

layouts to Design Systems to all the

project files and Pages for developers

and if you're looking for something a

little bit more specific on the design

system side I definitely recommend zero

height and also

storybook.js.org all these links are in

the description below so feel free to

check out these tools to hopefully help

you create more consistent designs and

also manage it all for your project with

that said guys if you like this video

make sure to gently smash the like

button subscribe for the Die Hard fans

and if you want more you should

definitely check out this video and I'll

see you in another video very soon

[Music]

all right

[Music]