How I built a REAL app using Figma AI in 48 hrs! (ENTIRE UX/UI Process)

Summary

This video walks through a seamless, AI-powered process of creating a financial management app for freelancers. The speaker demonstrates how user research, prototyping, and no-code tools like Figma and Buzzy streamline the design and development phases, reducing what would traditionally take months into just 48 hours. With real-time updates, automated database linking, and interactive design tools, the app is fully functional by the end. The video highlights the ease and efficiency of using AI and no-code platforms for rapid product development, encouraging viewers to explore these tools in their own projects.

Takeaways

• 😀 The process involves using Figma's AI for user research, design, and prototype generation in just 48 hours.
• 😀 The speaker identifies a personal challenge with managing finances and decides to explore if other freelancers face the same issue.
• 😀 The process starts with user research, which includes surveys, interviews, and analyzing existing budgeting apps.
• 😀 Figma's AI tools, such as fig Jam and Jam Bot, are used to brainstorm, create mind maps, and generate research plans.
• 😀 The speaker uses AI-generated interview questions to better understand the needs and challenges of freelancers regarding budgeting.
• 😀 Insights from user interviews are transcribed and used to refine the design solution, focusing on areas like budgeting, tax allocation, and fund management.
• 😀 Competitor analysis is conducted by reviewing existing tools, like QuickBooks and Wab, to understand what design patterns work for freelancers.
• 😀 Figma's AI is utilized to quickly generate wireframes, refine designs, and build app flow with minimal manual effort.
• 😀 The speaker demonstrates how Figma's first draft and basic app features help streamline the design process for a financial app.
• 😀 The Buzzy plugin is introduced to automatically convert Figma designs into a functional app by marking up screens and creating a database.
• 😀 The process culminates in turning the design into a real working app, which is tested via QR code and integrated with real-time data in Buzzy.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video is to showcase how to use AI tools in Figma (like Figma AI, FigJam, and Buzzy AI) to perform user research, design, and prototype a budgeting app in 48 hours.

What challenge did the speaker face regarding their finances before starting the project?

The speaker faced the challenge of managing their finances efficiently, particularly in terms of budgeting for investments, taxes, savings, and personal expenses, and wanted an easier way to track and allocate money.

What tools are mentioned for creating the app prototype?

The tools mentioned for creating the app prototype are FigJam, Figma, and Buzzy AI. FigJam is used for user research and planning, Figma for design and wireframing, and Buzzy AI for no-code app creation.

How does the speaker use FigJam to start the project?

In FigJam, the speaker starts by brainstorming the problem using AI-generated insights on freelancer budgeting. The AI generates a mind map that helps explore topics related to income, expenses, taxes, savings, and budgeting strategies.

How does the AI help in generating a research plan and interview questions?

The AI helps by automatically generating a detailed research plan and crafting interview questions related to freelancers' budgeting habits and needs, making the process more efficient.

What insights did the speaker gain from their user interview?

From the user interview, the speaker learned that freelancers face challenges in allocating money to taxes and other expenses and that they use personal spreadsheets to manage their income and budgeting.

What is the significance of the 30-40-10-10 rule mentioned in the video?

The 30-40-10-10 rule is a budgeting approach where 30% of income goes toward living expenses, 40% to savings or investments, 10% to taxes, and 10% to emergencies. This was identified as a potential insight to incorporate into the app.

What competitor analysis did the speaker perform, and what did they learn?

The speaker analyzed popular budgeting apps, including QuickBooks and Wab. They noted a common design pattern of selecting a bill type and allocating a certain amount but found that the freelancer-specific problem wasn't fully addressed by these apps.

How does Figma's AI assist in generating the design wireframes?

Figma's AI generates design wireframes for the app based on the user's problem statement. The AI allows the speaker to customize elements like colors, spacing, and layout, helping to quickly build and iterate on the design.

What is the role of Buzzy AI in the app development process?

Buzzy AI helps turn the designs from Figma into a real, working app by automatically generating a data model, connecting the app's functionality to the database, and creating the necessary app workflows without needing manual coding.

What challenges did the speaker face during the app creation, and how did they overcome them?

The speaker encountered issues with publishing the app and ensuring everything rendered correctly. However, they found solutions through Buzzy’s documentation and support, eventually getting the app to work as intended.

What final result did the speaker achieve after using Figma and Buzzy AI?

The speaker successfully created a fully functional budgeting app with a real-time working prototype. The app allowed users to allocate funds into customizable buckets and interact with the interface, all within a 48-hour period.