Teaching Figma was not on my bucket list for 2025…
Wait, Me? Teaching Figma?
If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be teaching Figma to a class full of students, I would’ve laughed. Hard.
Because I still remember the first time I opened Figma — completely clueless. Auto Layout? Confusing. Components? What even are those? My designs were a mess, my files were one giant chaos, and let’s not even talk about naming conventions — because everything was just Frame 1, Frame 2, and Final_v3_Final_Final_ActuallyFinal.
But somehow, here I am — standing on the other side, helping students learn the very tool that once frustrated me. And honestly? It’s been one of the most unexpected and rewarding experiences of my journey.
From Student to Teacher
This whole teaching thing happened when my Professor gave me an incredible opportunity as an Academic Assistant to design and teach a Figma course at my university. There was no pre-set syllabus, no strict guidelines, just full creative freedom to shape how students experienced Figma from scratch.
And I won’t lie — at first, imposter syndrome hit me like a truck.
“Am I even qualified to do this?”
“What if they ask something I don’t know?”
“What if I completely mess it up?”
But then I thought back to all the mentors and industry professionals I had spoken to. None of them ever asked me, “Do you know how to use Figma?”
Instead, what they were looking for is:
👉 How do I structure my files?
👉 Do my layers, components, and styles make sense to someone else opening your file?
👉 Are my designs scalable, or will they break with the slightest change?
👉 Can a developer take my design and build it without confusion?
That’s when I realized — this course couldn’t just be about Figma as a tool. Anyone can learn buttons and frames, there are tons of resources out in the market. What matters is how you use Figma the right way — the industry way.
Teaching the Real Stuff
So when I started structuring the course, I didn’t want it to be just another tutorial series on where to click and how to drag a rectangle.
Instead, I focused on the small details that separate good designers from great ones:
✅ Organizing files properly so that another designer (or developer) doesn’t hate you.
✅ Using Components & Variants correctly instead of making 50 versions of the same button.
✅ Naming things properly (because “Final_Final_v2” is NOT a good system).
✅ Setting up Auto Layout & Grids so that your design scales.
Because recruiters don’t just look at your final designs — they look at how you built them. They care about whether you understand the process, the structure, and the thinking behind good design.
And if my students can walk away not just knowing Figma, but knowing how to set themselves apart as designers, then I’ve done my job.
What Teaching Taught Me
The funny thing is — I came into this thinking I’d be the one teaching, but I’ve learned just as much from my students.
Every question they ask forces me to rethink, break down concepts, and keep learning myself. It’s proof that you don’t have to be an expert to teach — you just have to be willing to learn alongside others.
So, if you’re still struggling with Figma, if Auto Layout makes you want to scream, if you feel like you’ll never figure out Components — trust me, I’ve been there.
And I promise you — it gets easier. Just keep learning, keep asking, and keep experimenting. Because one day, you might just find yourself teaching the very thing you once struggled with.
Let’s Talk
Have you ever had that moment where you went from struggling with something to teaching or mentoring someone else on it?
Would love to hear your experiences! Drop them in the comments.👇
💡 Also, I’m sharing weekly resources for each class I teach! If you’re interested in learning alongside me, let me know in the comments — I’d be happy to share the resources. And if you enjoy this kind of content, hit subscribe so you get the weekly updates!
#Figma #Design #Teaching #ProductDesign #UXDesign #LearningByDoing #Mentorship #Resources
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