Turning Figma Chaos into a
Navigation-Friendly System
Role
Design Ops
Timeline
1 month
Background 👀
The challenge began when I initiated an update to our Design System—introducing design tokens to streamline workflows and modernizing outdated screens left from the regulatory approval phase.
Working in two-week sprints meant delivering at least one update per cycle, which quickly multiplied the number of screens and files to maintain. As the product evolved, our Figma workspace grew harder to navigate, leading PMs to frequently ask, “Where is this screen?” These interruptions not only disrupted focus but also slowed decision-making across the team.
Who are the users usually affected by this chaos?
Designers
Product Managers
Engineers
Real Queries from the Team 🙉
Working in two-week sprints meant delivering at least one update per cycle, which rapidly multiplied the number of screens and files to maintain.
As the product evolved, our Figma workspace became harder to navigate, and PMs frequently asked “Where is this screen?”
I often received at least five such inquiries per week, and these interruptions disrupted focus and slowed decision-making.
Problem Statement
How might we organize Figma files and sprint-based pages so screens are easy to find, while reducing duplicate work, outdated references, and delays in reviews?
Goal
Create a clear, efficient, and reliable design workflow that enables PMs and designers to locate screens quickly, minimize errors, and speed up reviews.
Workflow Evolution 🕵
Approach A — Incubation Period
During the product’s incubation stage, we kept everything in a single Figma file, with one page per sprint for each platform (iOS and Android). This centralized all designs but became difficult to manage as the number of sprints grew.
Pros ✅
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All designs stored in one central file
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Clear sprint separation for each platform
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Easy to reference early designs in context
Cons 🥲
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Large, unwieldy file as more sprints were added
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Long page list made navigation tedious
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Hard to locate specific screens without designer guidance
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Higher risk of referencing outdated designs
Approach B — Multi-File Setup
To address the limitations of Approach A, we reorganized our workflow. Since Figma Branching wasn't available at the time, we utilized separate Figma files instead. We created individual files for each feature and organized pages by sprint. This approach improved work separation by release cycle but introduced its own set of challenges.
Pros ✅
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Clear separation of work by feature and sprint
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Easy to track which sprint a design belonged to
Cons 🥲
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Time-consuming to search across multiple files and pages
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Higher risk of referencing outdated or duplicate work
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PMs dependent on designers for file navigation
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Slower reviews due to scattered designs
Approach C — Branching Workflow (Final Solution)
The launch of Figma Branching opened the door to a better process. I leveraged branching to separate in-progress sprint work from finalized, developed designs, ensuring the main file stayed current and easy to navigate. At the end of each sprint, I merged completed branches back into the main file to keep it fully up to date.
Pros ✅
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Clear separation between experimental and production-ready designs
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Main file always reflects the latest approved work
Reduced PM dependency on designers for navigation
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Safer experimentation without risking live designs
Cons 🥲
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Requires disciplined merging process at the end of each sprint
Slight learning curve for team members unfamiliar with branching
Only available on Figma Organization and Enterprise Plans
Approach C Workflow Flow Chart
Zoom in to read
Outcome 👩🏻💻
Zero inquiries 🥳
After implementing the new branching workflow, inquiries about screen locations dropped to zero for screens within the updated system. At most, we only received questions for screens that had not yet been migrated to the new workflow.
Key Takeaway 📚
Leveraging Figma Branching with intentional file organization transforms a cluttered workspace into a streamlined, collaborative hub. This enables teams to work faster, communicate more effectively, and maintain design accuracy throughout the process.