Component variants in Figma - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a UI/UX designer working on a sales dashboard in Figma.

📋 Request: Your manager wants you to create a reusable button component with different states (default, hover, pressed) to maintain design consistency across the dashboard.

📊 Data: You have basic button designs for each state and need to combine them into a single component with variants.

🎯 Deliverable: A Figma component with variants representing the button states, ready to be used in the sales dashboard design.

Sample Data

Button State	Background Color	Text Color	Border
Default	#007AFF	#FFFFFF	None
Hover	#005BBB	#FFFFFF	None
Pressed	#003F7F	#FFFFFF	None

1

Step 1: Create three separate button frames in Figma, one for each state: Default, Hover, and Pressed.

Design each button with the specified background color and white text as per the sample data.

Expected Result

Three distinct button frames with correct colors and text.

2

Step 2: Select all three button frames and create a single component from them.

Right-click and choose 'Create Component' or press Ctrl+Alt+K (Cmd+Option+K on Mac).

Expected Result

A new component containing all three button frames.

3

Step 3: Convert the component into a component set to create variants.

With the component selected, click 'Combine as Variants' in the right panel.

Expected Result

A component set with three variants representing Default, Hover, and Pressed states.

4

Step 4: Rename each variant's property to 'State' and set values to 'Default', 'Hover', and 'Pressed' respectively.

In the right panel under 'Variants', set the property name to 'State' and assign each variant its state value.

Expected Result

Variants properly labeled for easy selection in the design.

5

Step 5: Use the component variants in your dashboard design by dragging the component set and selecting the desired state from the properties panel.

Drag the component set onto the canvas and change the 'State' property to switch button appearance.

Expected Result

Buttons in the dashboard reflect the correct state visually and maintain consistency.

Final Result

┌───────────────────────────────┐
│ Button Component (Variants)   │
├─────────────┬───────────────┤
│ State       │ Appearance    │
├─────────────┼───────────────┤
│ Default     │ Blue bg, white│
│             │ text          │
├─────────────┼───────────────┤
│ Hover       │ Darker blue bg│
│             │ white text    │
├─────────────┼───────────────┤
│ Pressed     │ Darkest blue  │
│             │ bg, white text│
└─────────────┴───────────────┘

Bonus Challenge

Add a 'Disabled' state variant to the button with a gray background and lighter text color.

Show Hint

Create a new button frame with the disabled style, add it to the component set, and update the 'State' property to include 'Disabled'.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of using component variants in Figma?

easy

A. To create completely unrelated designs in one file

B. To delete unused components automatically

C. To export designs faster without grouping

D. To group similar designs for easy switching between them

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand component variants concept

   Component variants group similar designs, like buttons with different colors or sizes, into one organized set.

2. Step 2: Identify the main benefit

   This grouping allows easy switching between variants without searching multiple components.

3. Final Answer:

   To group similar designs for easy switching between them -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Component variants = Group similar designs [OK]

Hint: Variants group similar designs for quick switching [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking variants create unrelated designs
• Confusing variants with export features
• Believing variants delete components

2. Which of the following is the correct way to create a variant in Figma?

easy

A. Select components and click 'Combine as Variants' in the right panel

B. Drag components into a new frame without grouping

C. Export components as PNG and re-import as variants

D. Rename components with the same name manually

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall variant creation method

   In Figma, you select multiple components and use the 'Combine as Variants' button in the right sidebar to create variants.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   Dragging into frames or exporting/importing does not create variants. Renaming alone doesn't group components as variants.

3. Final Answer:

   Select components and click 'Combine as Variants' in the right panel -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Combine as Variants button = create variants [OK]

Hint: Use 'Combine as Variants' button after selecting components [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to create variants by dragging into frames
• Exporting and re-importing components
• Assuming renaming groups variants

3. Given a button component with variants for color (red, blue) and size (small, large), how many variants will be created?

medium

A. 2

B. 4

C. 6

D. 8

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate variants from properties

   Each property has options: color (2) and size (2). Total variants = 2 * 2 = 4.

2. Step 2: Confirm variant count

   All combinations of color and size create 4 unique variants.

3. Final Answer:

   4 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   2 colors x 2 sizes = 4 variants [OK]

Hint: Multiply options count for each property [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding instead of multiplying options
• Counting only one property options
• Confusing variants with components

4. You tried to create variants but Figma shows an error. Which of these is a likely cause?

medium

A. Components have different names and are not selected together

B. You selected components and clicked 'Combine as Variants'

C. All components have the same properties and values

D. You grouped components inside a frame before combining

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand variant creation requirements

   Components must be selected together and have compatible names to combine as variants.

2. Step 2: Identify error cause

   If components have different names and are not selected simultaneously, Figma cannot combine them as variants.

3. Final Answer:

   Components have different names and are not selected together -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Different names + no selection = error [OK]

Hint: Select components with similar names before combining [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming grouping inside frames creates variants
• Thinking clicking combine always works
• Ignoring component names mismatch

5. You have a component with variants for state (default, hover, pressed) and color (green, yellow). You want to add a new size property with values small and medium. How many total variants will you have after adding size?

hard

A. 9

B. 6

C. 12

D. 5

Solution

1. Step 1: Calculate existing variants

   Current variants = state (3) x color (2) = 6 variants.

2. Step 2: Add new size property

   Adding size with 2 values multiplies variants: 6 x 2 = 12 total variants.

3. Final Answer:

   12 -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   3 states x 2 colors x 2 sizes = 12 variants [OK]

Hint: Multiply all property options for total variants [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Adding instead of multiplying property options
• Forgetting to multiply new property options
• Counting only existing variants without new property