Overriding instance properties in Figma - Real Business Scenario

Scenario Mode

👤 Your Role: You are a product designer working with a design system in Figma.

📋 Request: Your manager wants you to create a dashboard prototype using components, but with customized colors and text for different sections without creating new components from scratch.

📊 Data: You have a set of base components for cards, buttons, and text styles. Each component has default properties like color, font size, and text content.

🎯 Deliverable: A Figma prototype dashboard where you override instance properties such as colors and text on component instances to reflect different data categories.

Sample Data

Component	Default Color	Default Text
Card	#FFFFFF (White)	Title
Button	#007AFF (Blue)	Click Me
Text	#000000 (Black)	Sample Text

1

Step 1: Insert instances of the Card component onto your Figma canvas for each dashboard section.

Drag and drop the Card component from the Assets panel onto the canvas three times.

Expected Result

Three Card instances appear on the canvas, each with white background and default title text.

2

Step 2: Override the background color property of each Card instance to represent different data categories.

Select each Card instance, then in the right panel under Fill, change the color to #FFCDD2 (light red), #C8E6C9 (light green), and #BBDEFB (light blue) respectively.

Expected Result

Each Card instance shows a different background color reflecting its category.

3

Step 3: Override the text content of the title inside each Card instance to match the category name.

Double-click the title text inside each Card instance and change it to 'Sales', 'Marketing', and 'Support'.

Expected Result

Each Card instance displays the correct category title.

4

Step 4: Insert Button component instances inside each Card and override their text to reflect actions.

Drag Button component into each Card instance, then change button text to 'View Sales', 'View Marketing', and 'View Support'.

Expected Result

Buttons inside each Card show customized text matching the section.

5

Step 5: Override the Button color property to match the Card background for visual harmony.

Select each Button instance and change Fill color to a darker shade of the Card's background color: #D32F2F, #388E3C, #1976D2.

Expected Result

Buttons have colors that complement their Card backgrounds.

Final Result

Dashboard Prototype
+-----------------------+  +-----------------------+  +-----------------------+
| Card (Sales)          |  | Card (Marketing)      |  | Card (Support)        |
| Background: Light Red |  | Background: Light Green|  | Background: Light Blue |
| Title: Sales          |  | Title: Marketing      |  | Title: Support        |
| [View Sales Button]   |  | [View Marketing Button]|  | [View Support Button] |
+-----------------------+  +-----------------------+  +-----------------------+

✓Instance properties like color and text can be overridden without changing the original component.

✓Overriding allows quick customization for different dashboard sections.

✓Maintains consistency while enabling flexibility in design.

Bonus Challenge

Create a new dashboard section by duplicating a Card instance and override multiple properties including font size, color, and button text.

Show Hint

Select the duplicated Card instance, then override text properties and use the Fill and Text panels to adjust colors and font sizes.

Practice

1. What does overriding instance properties in Figma allow you to do?

easy

A. Create a new component from scratch

B. Customize parts of an instance without changing the original component

C. Delete the original component permanently

D. Lock the instance to prevent changes

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand instance and component relationship

   An instance is a copy of a component that inherits its properties.

2. Step 2: Recognize what overriding means

   Overriding lets you change specific properties of an instance without affecting the original component.

3. Final Answer:

   Customize parts of an instance without changing the original component -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Overriding = Customize instance only [OK]

Hint: Remember: override changes instance, not original [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking overriding deletes the original component
• Confusing overriding with creating new components
• Believing overriding locks the instance

2. Which of the following is the correct way to override the text property of an instance in Figma?

easy

A. Double-click the instance and edit the text directly

B. Edit the original component's text

C. Right-click and select 'Detach Instance'

D. Use the 'Lock' option on the instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify how to edit instance text

   Double-clicking an instance allows direct editing of its text property.

2. Step 2: Understand difference from editing component

   Editing the original component changes all instances, not just one.

3. Final Answer:

   Double-click the instance and edit the text directly -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Edit instance text = Double-click instance [OK]

Hint: Double-click instance to change text quickly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Editing the original component instead of the instance
• Detaching instance unnecessarily
• Locking instance instead of editing

3. Given a component with a blue rectangle and text 'Hello', if you override the rectangle color to red in an instance, what will happen when you update the original component's rectangle color to green?

medium

A. The instance rectangle changes to green, text changes to original component's text

B. The instance rectangle changes to green, text changes to 'Hello'

C. The instance rectangle stays red, text remains 'Hello'

D. The instance rectangle stays red, text changes to original component's text

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand property overriding behavior

   Overridden properties in an instance stay as set, ignoring component updates for those properties.

2. Step 2: Apply to rectangle color and text

   Rectangle color overridden to red stays red; text not overridden remains synced with component ('Hello').

3. Final Answer:

   The instance rectangle stays red, text remains 'Hello' -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Overridden color stays, non-overridden text syncs [OK]

Hint: Overridden properties ignore component updates [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming all instance properties update with component
• Thinking overridden text changes automatically
• Confusing overridden and non-overridden properties

4. You tried to override the fill color of an instance, but the color did not change. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. The fill color is locked in the original component

B. You edited the original component instead of the instance

C. The instance is detached from the component

D. You did not select the fill property in the instance

Solution

1. Step 1: Check if fill color can be overridden

   Some properties like fill color can be locked in the component, preventing overrides.

2. Step 2: Understand why color didn't change

   If locked, changing fill on instance has no effect; you must unlock in component.

3. Final Answer:

   The fill color is locked in the original component -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Locked property blocks override [OK]

Hint: Check if property is locked before overriding [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Editing original component instead of instance
• Assuming detaching fixes override issues
• Forgetting to select the correct property

5. You have a button component with text and background color. You want to create an instance with a different text and a different icon image, but keep the background color linked to the component. How should you override the instance properties?

hard

A. Override all properties including background color to new values

B. Create a new component for the different text and icon

C. Detach the instance and edit all properties freely

D. Override the text and icon image properties only, leave background color unchanged

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify which properties to override

   To keep background color linked, do not override it; override only text and icon image.

2. Step 2: Understand impact of overriding background color

   Overriding background color breaks link to component updates; avoid if you want consistency.

3. Final Answer:

   Override the text and icon image properties only, leave background color unchanged -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Override selective properties to keep component link [OK]

Hint: Override only what changes, keep others linked [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Overriding background color unnecessarily
• Detaching instance losing component benefits
• Creating new component instead of overriding