Summary of Key Insights
The Figma mobile app receives mixed reviews, with a significant skew towards negative feedback. While some users appreciate its core functionality for viewing, sharing, and mirroring designs, a large portion express frustration with its limited feature set, frequent crashes, and usability issues. The primary sentiment is negative, driven by the perception that the app is more of a companion tool for non-designers rather than a fully functional mobile design platform. The overall rating is low, reflected in the score distribution: 1-star reviews dominate, indicating widespread dissatisfaction.
Quantitative Metrics:
- Overall Rating (based on score distribution): Low (likely below 2 stars out of 5)
- 1-Star Reviews: 66.67% (16 out of 24)
- 5-Star Reviews: 12.5% (3 out of 24)
Key Strengths: Viewing, sharing, and mirroring designs.
Key Weaknesses: Limited functionality, crashes, login issues, forced updates, lack of editing capabilities, and perceived focus on non-designers.
Data & Methodology Overview
- Data Sample Size: 24 reviews
- Time Frame: Not specified, but assumed to be recent based on the nature of the comments (e.g., iOS 17).
- Analysis Methods: Sentiment analysis based on review text, keyword extraction to identify common themes, and frequency analysis to determine the prevalence of specific issues. The analysis is primarily qualitative, relying on direct interpretation of user feedback.
Key User Pain Points
- Limited Functionality/Lack of Editing Capabilities: Many users complain that the app is primarily a viewer and comment tool, lacking the ability to create or edit designs on the go. This is a major source of frustration.
- Crashes and Instability: Several users report crashes, reloads, and flashing screens, making the app unreliable and difficult to use.
- Login Issues: Users experience issues with logging in, including being kicked out unexpectedly and being prompted for new passwords.
- Recaptcha Issues: The recaptcha feature is reported as being unusable, constantly forcing page refreshes and hindering access.
- iOS Version Restrictions: The requirement for iOS 17 is causing issues for users with older devices, rendering the app unusable for them.
- Forced Updates: Users are frustrated with frequent updates that introduce unwanted UI changes and remove familiar functionalities, without the option to roll back.
- Lack of Tutorials: New users find the app confusing and would benefit from a tutorial.
- General Usability Issues: Vague complaints about the app being "atrocious" or "lousy" suggest underlying usability problems.
Frequently Requested Features
- Ability to Create and Edit Designs: The most common request is for a fully functional mobile app that allows users to create and edit designs, similar to the desktop version.
- Image Upload from Camera Roll: Users want to be able to upload images directly from their phone's camera roll.
- More Robust iPad Functionality: iPad users desire a more powerful application that takes advantage of the device's capabilities for design work.
- Admin-Focused Features: Some users want features geared towards admins, although the specifics are not detailed.
Strengths and Positive Aspects
- Viewing and Sharing Designs: The app is generally appreciated for its ability to view, share, and mirror designs.
- Commenting and Collaboration: Users find the commenting and collaboration features useful for providing feedback.
- Prototype Preview: The ability to preview prototypes is seen as a valuable feature.
- Slides Viewing: The slide viewing functionality is appreciated by some users.
Prioritized Action Recommendations
- High Priority:
- Address Crashes and Instability: Fix the crashes, reloads, and flashing screen issues immediately to improve app reliability.
- Implement Basic Editing Functionality: Introduce basic editing capabilities to allow users to make simple changes on the go.
- Resolve Login and Recaptcha Issues: Fix the login problems and make the recaptcha feature functional.
- Optimize for Older iOS Versions (if feasible): Investigate the feasibility of supporting older iOS versions to avoid excluding users with older devices.
- Medium Priority:
- Add Image Upload from Camera Roll: Implement the ability to upload images directly from the phone's camera roll.
- Improve iPad Functionality: Enhance the iPad app with more robust design capabilities.
- Address Forced Update Concerns: Provide users with more control over updates or offer options to revert to previous versions.
- Add Tutorials: Create tutorials to guide new users through the app's features and functionality.
- Low Priority:
- Admin-Focused Features: Explore and implement features specifically for administrators based on user needs.
- UI Improvements: Consider user feedback regarding the UI and implement improvements where necessary.
Opportunities for Startup Ideas
- Figma Plugin for Mobile-First Design: A plugin that optimizes Figma designs for mobile viewing and editing, addressing the pain point of desktop-centric design workflows.
- Mobile Design Education Platform Integrated with Figma: A learning platform that teaches mobile design principles and integrates directly with the Figma mobile app for hands-on practice.
- Simplified Mobile Design Tool: A standalone mobile app that offers a simplified design experience for quick mockups and prototypes, potentially integrating with Figma for more advanced work.
Trends and Observations
- Strong Negative Sentiment: The overall sentiment is overwhelmingly negative, indicating a significant gap between user expectations and the app's current capabilities.
- Feature Gap: Users consistently compare the mobile app unfavorably to the desktop version and other mobile design apps, highlighting a perceived lack of functionality.
- Technical Issues: Technical issues like crashes and login problems are major contributors to user frustration.
Conclusion
The Figma mobile app is currently underperforming due to its limited functionality, technical issues, and perceived focus on non-designers. Addressing the key pain points related to editing capabilities, stability, and login problems is crucial for improving user satisfaction. By prioritizing the implementation of basic editing features and resolving technical issues, Figma can transform its mobile app from a simple viewer into a valuable tool for designers on the go.
Original App Link
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/figma-design-and-prototyping/id1152747299