Figma Expands Beyond Design: New Updates to FigJam

FigJam Price Reduction and New Features Announced

This year, in April, Figma, a leading collaborative design platform, introduced FigJam, a dedicated whiteboarding tool. Distinct as a separate tool and brand, FigJam facilitates brainstorming and iterative collaboration within an expansive, virtually limitless whiteboard environment. Integrated voice capabilities enable real-time discussion directly within the platform.

FigJam effectively functions as an expansion of Figma’s offerings. While Figma primarily caters to designers and their immediate collaborators – such as engineers and product managers – FigJam aims to include all members of an organization in the ideation process, encouraging broader participation and idea sharing.

Addressing Price Barriers

Initial usage data revealed that FigJam was gaining traction among non-design personnel within customer organizations. However, Figma CEO and founder Dylan Field recognized a potential obstacle: pricing.

Consequently, a price adjustment for FigJam will take effect in February 2022. The cost of Pro plans will be reduced from $8 to $3 per month, per seat. Similarly, Org plans will decrease from $15 to $5 per month, per seat.

“Our guiding principle was to remove any barriers to adoption,” Field stated. “We aim to offer the most competitive pricing structure, prioritizing development and widespread use over maximizing profit. This approach will encourage greater involvement in the design process, aligning with our goal of making design universally accessible.”

He further emphasized the importance of considering not only the initial cost but also the incremental expenses for organizations.

A free version of FigJam is also available, providing unlimited personal whiteboards and access to three shared whiteboards.

Enhanced Accessibility with Open Sessions and Plugins

In addition to the pricing update, Figma is implementing further measures to enhance FigJam’s accessibility. These include the introduction of Open Sessions. This feature allows users to invite anyone to a collaborative jam session for a 24-hour period, without requiring a login. The company envisions this as a digital equivalent of inviting colleagues to an in-person meeting or informal gathering.

Leveraging Figma’s thriving plugin community, the company is extending similar functionality to FigJam. The platform is introducing plugins, widgets, and other tools to expand the capabilities of the whiteboard environment.

These plugins and widgets encompass a range of functionalities, from productivity enhancements – such as automation of repetitive tasks – to interactive elements like dice games, and the ability to embed external content, including videos and documents.

For example, Donut has developed a widget specifically for FigJam that connects users within an organization for collaborative jam sessions. Previously, Donut focused exclusively on Slack, facilitating connections between employees in remote work settings.

Focusing on Organizational Needs

Field highlighted the unique challenges of developing solutions for entire organizations, rather than solely for designers and their direct collaborators.

“We needed to reassess our understanding of who our key users are and ensure we are building for the right audience,” Field explained. “With FigJam, we are particularly focused on the needs of facilitators – individuals who strive to improve processes and exert influence within their organizations. This represents a different segment of Figma’s user base than the typical champion.”

The strategy is proving successful. Currently, approximately two-thirds of Figma users identify as professionals in roles other than “designer.”