18

    Advanced Prototyping and Interactions

    By Nitin Khatri (Senior UI/UX Designer & Educator)
    Reviewed by Sarah Miller (Principal Product Designer (Reviewer))
    Updated
    Video Lesson: 11:30
    Level: Intermediate
    Official References:
    Figma Help CenterFigma YouTube Channel

    Build high-fidelity prototypes that mimic real app logic. This lesson covers overlays, scroll overflows, and interactive components for advanced UX testing.

    Complete tasks and quiz to finish this lesson.
    Tasks
    Quiz

    Lesson Video

    Lesson Content

    Learning Objectives

    • •Use 'Open Overlay' for modals, menus, and tooltips
    • •Manage scroll overflow for lists and fixed navigation bars
    • •Implement interactive components for hover states and toggles
    • •Create complex multi-step flows within a single frame

    What You'll Learn

    1. Setting up and positioning overlays (centered, manual)
    2. Configuring vertical and horizontal scroll behavior
    3. Defining state changes within components (Component Sets)
    4. Using 'Back' and 'Close' actions in prototype navigation

    Key Concepts

    Overlay Management
    Scroll Overflow
    Interactive Components
    State-based Logic

    Key Takeaways

    • ✓Overlays allow you to display content on top of existing frames without duplicating screens.
    • ✓Scroll overflow is essential for long pages and carousels.
    • ✓Interactive components handle internal state changes (like checkbox clicks) efficiently.
    • ✓High-fidelity prototypes help identify usability issues before development.

    Practice Tasks

    Dynamic Overlay Menu

    Create a pop-up menu that appears on top of the current screen.

    • Create a small 'Menu' frame separate from your main screen
    • Connect a 'Hamburger Icon' to the menu using the 'Open Overlay' action
    • Set the overlay position to 'Manual' or 'Top Right'
    • Enable 'Close when clicking outside' and 'Add background behind overlay'

    Scrollable Region Interaction

    Enable scrolling for specific areas within a screen without scrolling the whole page.

    • Create a frame that is taller or wider than its parent container
    • Set the 'Overflow' setting to 'Vertical' or 'Horizontal' in the Prototype tab
    • Ensure the parent container has 'Clip content' enabled
    • Preview and verify the section scrolls independently

    Knowledge Check

    Pass with 70% or higher

    1. What is the key benefit of using 'Interactive Components' in a prototype?

    2. What does the 'Open Overlay' action allow you to do?

    3. How can you simulate a fixed navigation bar that stays visible as the user scrolls down a page?

    4. What is 'Overflow scrolling' used for?

    Lesson FAQ

    Q: How can I practice what I learned in this lesson?

    We highly recommend opening your own Figma workspace in a side window and repeating the steps shown in the video. Utilize the tasks checklist above for specific practice targets.

    Q: What should I do if my layout behaves differently from the walkthrough?

    Double-check parent-child constraints and resizing values (e.g. Hug vs Fill). Ensure Auto Layout direction is correct and check the related guidebooks below for step-by-step visual references.

    Lesson Resources & Connections

    Prerequisites

    No prerequisites required. This is a foundational starter lesson.

    Related Guidebook

    How to create reusable components in Figma

    Read Guidebook →

    How to create a reusable navigation bar component in Figma

    Read Guidebook →

    Relevant Design Tool

    Image Compressor

    Reduce asset size before export.

    Open Companion Tool →

    Next Lesson

    Using Smart Animate Effectively