Why Connection creation (click, hover) in Figma? - Purpose & Use Cases

The Big Idea

What if your dashboard could respond instantly when you click or hover, without any complicated setup?

The Scenario

Imagine you have a complex dashboard with many charts and tables. You want to show how clicking or hovering on one chart highlights related data in another. Doing this manually means writing lots of code or setting up many separate filters.

The Problem

Manually linking visuals is slow and confusing. You might miss connections or create errors. It's hard to keep track of which click affects which chart. This makes your dashboard clunky and frustrating for users.

The Solution

Connection creation with click and hover lets you easily link visuals. Just set up interactions that highlight or filter related data automatically. This makes your dashboard interactive and clear without complex coding.

Before vs After

✗ Before

OnClick: filter Chart2 by Chart1 selection
OnHover: no effect

✓ After

Set interaction: click on Chart1 highlights Chart2
Set interaction: hover on Chart1 shows tooltip on Chart2

What It Enables

You can create smooth, interactive dashboards where users explore data naturally by clicking or hovering.

Real Life Example

In a sales dashboard, clicking a region on a map instantly updates sales charts below to show only that region's data, making insights quick and easy.

Key Takeaways

Manual linking of visuals is slow and error-prone.

Click and hover connections automate interactions between charts.

This creates clear, interactive dashboards that users love.

Practice

1. What does the On Click interaction in Figma prototypes do?

easy

A. Automatically plays an animation without user input

B. Triggers an action when the user hovers over an element

C. Triggers an action when the user clicks on an element

D. Changes the color of an element permanently

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand interaction types in Figma

   Figma uses different triggers like 'On Click' and 'While Hovering' to create interactive prototypes.

2. Step 2: Identify the trigger for 'On Click'

   'On Click' means the action happens when the user clicks on an element, not on hover or automatically.

3. Final Answer:

   Triggers an action when the user clicks on an element -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   On Click = action on click [OK]

Hint: Click means action happens on mouse click, not hover [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'On Click' with 'While Hovering'
• Thinking 'On Click' triggers automatically
• Assuming 'On Click' changes styles permanently

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

easy

A. Select the element, then choose 'While Hovering' and link to a frame

B. Select the element, then choose 'On Click' and link to a frame

C. Select the element, then choose 'After Delay' and link to a frame

D. Select the element, then choose 'On Drag' and link to a frame

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify interaction triggers for hover

   Hover effects in Figma are created using the 'While Hovering' trigger, not 'On Click' or others.

2. Step 2: Confirm correct trigger selection

   Choosing 'While Hovering' and linking to a frame sets the hover interaction properly.

3. Final Answer:

   Select the element, then choose 'While Hovering' and link to a frame -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Hover = While Hovering trigger [OK]

Hint: Hover uses 'While Hovering' trigger, not 'On Click' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Selecting 'On Click' instead of 'While Hovering' for hover
• Using 'After Delay' which triggers automatically
• Confusing 'On Drag' with hover

3. Given a prototype where a button has an interaction set to While Hovering that changes the frame to 'Details', what happens when the user moves the mouse away from the button?

medium

A. The prototype stays on the 'Details' frame permanently

B. The prototype crashes due to invalid interaction

C. Nothing happens; the frame does not change

D. The prototype returns to the previous frame automatically

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand 'While Hovering' behavior

   This interaction triggers only while the mouse is over the element; moving away cancels it.

2. Step 2: Determine what happens after hover ends

   When the mouse leaves, the prototype returns to the previous frame automatically, reversing the hover effect.

3. Final Answer:

   The prototype returns to the previous frame automatically -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Hover off = revert frame [OK]

Hint: Hover effects revert when mouse leaves element [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming hover changes are permanent
• Thinking nothing happens after hover ends
• Believing prototype crashes on hover

4. You set an interaction on a button with 'On Click' to navigate to a frame, but clicking does nothing. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The interaction is set to 'While Hovering' instead of 'On Click'

B. The linked frame does not exist or is deleted

C. The prototype is not in Present mode

D. The button is not selected before creating the interaction

Solution

1. Step 1: Check interaction setup

   If clicking does nothing, verify the linked frame exists and is correctly named.

2. Step 2: Confirm frame availability

   If the linked frame is missing or deleted, the interaction cannot navigate, causing no response.

3. Final Answer:

   The linked frame does not exist or is deleted -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Missing frame = no navigation [OK]

Hint: Ensure linked frames exist before linking [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'While Hovering' with 'On Click'
• Not entering Present mode to test
• Not selecting the button before linking

5. You want to create a prototype where hovering over a product image shows details, and clicking the image opens a purchase page. How should you set up the interactions?

hard

A. Set 'While Hovering' to show details overlay, and 'On Click' to navigate to purchase page

B. Set 'On Click' to show details overlay, and 'While Hovering' to navigate to purchase page

C. Set both 'On Click' and 'While Hovering' to navigate to purchase page

D. Set 'While Hovering' to navigate to purchase page, and no 'On Click' interaction

Solution

1. Step 1: Assign hover interaction for details

   Use 'While Hovering' to show details overlay because hover triggers temporary display.

2. Step 2: Assign click interaction for purchase

   Use 'On Click' to navigate to the purchase page because click triggers a permanent action.

3. Final Answer:

   Set 'While Hovering' to show details overlay, and 'On Click' to navigate to purchase page -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Hover = show details, Click = navigate [OK]

Hint: Hover for temporary info, click for permanent navigation [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping hover and click actions
• Using click for temporary hover effects
• Not setting both interactions properly