Responsive text behavior in Figma - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Responsive text behavior

Dashboard Goal

Understand how responsive text adjusts in dashboards to keep information clear on different screen sizes.

Sample Data

Region	Sales	Profit	Month
North	1000	200	January
South	1500	300	January
East	1200	250	January
West	1300	270	January
North	1100	210	February
South	1600	320	February
East	1250	260	February
West	1350	280	February

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Total Sales
  Shows sum of sales from all regions and months.
  Formula: SUM(Sales) = 10300
• KPI Card: Average Profit
  Shows average profit across all data.
  Formula: AVERAGE(Profit) = 261.25
• Bar Chart: Sales by Region
  Displays total sales per region.
  Data: North=2100, South=3100, East=2450, West=2650
• Line Chart: Monthly Sales Trend
  Shows total sales per month.
  Data: January=5000, February=5300
• Responsive Text Behavior
  Text size and wrapping adjust based on screen width:
  • Large screens: Text size 18px, no wrapping
  • Medium screens: Text size 14px, wrap long text
  • Small screens: Text size 12px, wrap and truncate with ellipsis

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+----------------------+
|      Total Sales      |    Average Profit    |
|      (KPI Card)       |      (KPI Card)      |
+----------------------+----------------------+
|                                              |
|          Sales by Region (Bar Chart)          |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                                              |
|       Monthly Sales Trend (Line Chart)       |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+

Interactivity

Filters for Region and Month let users select specific data. When a filter is applied:

• KPI cards update totals and averages accordingly.
• Bar chart shows sales only for selected regions.
• Line chart updates monthly sales trend for selected months.
• Responsive text adjusts size and wrapping dynamically as the dashboard resizes or device changes.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Region = South, which components update and how?

• Total Sales KPI: Shows sum of sales only for South (1500 + 1600 = 3100).
• Average Profit KPI: Shows average profit for South ( (300 + 320) / 2 = 310 ).
• Sales by Region Bar Chart: Only South bar remains visible.
• Monthly Sales Trend Line Chart: Shows sales for South by month (January=1500, February=1600).
• Responsive Text: Adjusts text size and wrapping as usual based on screen size.

Key Result

Dashboard showing sales and profit KPIs with charts, featuring responsive text that adapts to screen size.

Practice

1. What does Auto Width do for text in Figma when designing responsive dashboards?

easy

A. It hides the text on smaller screens.

B. It fixes the text box width regardless of text length.

C. It adjusts the text box width to fit the text on a single line.

D. It wraps the text into multiple lines automatically.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Auto Width behavior

   Auto Width resizes the text box width to fit the text content on one line without wrapping.

2. Step 2: Compare with other options

   Unlike fixed width or Auto Height, Auto Width keeps text in a single line by adjusting box width.

3. Final Answer:

   It adjusts the text box width to fit the text on a single line. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Auto Width = fits text in one line [OK]

Hint: Auto Width means text box grows horizontally to fit text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Auto Width with Auto Height
• Thinking Auto Width wraps text
• Assuming Auto Width fixes box size

2. Which of the following is the correct way to set text resizing in Figma for a paragraph that should wrap and adjust height automatically?

easy

A. Set resizing to Auto Height

B. Set resizing to Auto Width

C. Set resizing to Fixed Size

D. Set resizing to Fixed Height

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify wrapping text needs

   Paragraph text that wraps requires the height to adjust automatically as lines increase.

2. Step 2: Choose resizing option

   Auto Height allows the text box height to grow with wrapped lines, keeping width fixed.

3. Final Answer:

   Set resizing to Auto Height -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Auto Height = height adjusts for wrapped text [OK]

Hint: Use Auto Height for wrapped paragraphs to grow vertically [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Auto Width for wrapped text
• Choosing Fixed Size which cuts off text
• Confusing Fixed Height with Auto Height

3. Given a text box with width fixed at 200px and resizing set to Auto Height, what happens when the text content doubles in length?

medium

A. The text box shrinks to fit the original height.

B. The text box width increases to fit the text on one line.

C. The text overflows outside the box without resizing.

D. The text wraps and the height of the box increases to fit the new lines.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze fixed width with Auto Height

   Fixed width means the box width stays at 200px, no horizontal resizing.

2. Step 2: Effect of Auto Height on longer text

   Auto Height allows the box height to grow to fit wrapped text lines as content increases.

3. Final Answer:

   The text wraps and the height of the box increases to fit the new lines. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed width + Auto Height = wrap text, grow height [OK]

Hint: Fixed width + Auto Height means height grows with wrapped text [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking width changes with Auto Height
• Assuming text overflows without resizing
• Confusing Auto Width with Auto Height

4. You set a text box to Auto Width but notice the text is wrapping unexpectedly. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The text box has a fixed width constraint limiting expansion.

B. Auto Width always wraps text by default.

C. The font size is too small to fit on one line.

D. The text box height is fixed, causing wrapping.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Auto Width behavior

   Auto Width should expand the box width to fit text on one line without wrapping.

2. Step 2: Identify constraints impact

   If a fixed width constraint is applied, it limits the box width, forcing text to wrap despite Auto Width setting.

3. Final Answer:

   The text box has a fixed width constraint limiting expansion. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Fixed width constraint blocks Auto Width expansion [OK]

Hint: Check constraints if Auto Width text wraps unexpectedly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Believing Auto Width wraps text by design
• Ignoring width constraints on the box
• Confusing font size effects with wrapping

5. You are designing a dashboard in Figma that must display a title and a description. The title should always be on one line and the description should wrap and adjust height. Which combination of resizing settings and constraints should you use?

hard

A. Title: Fixed Width with Auto Height; Description: Auto Width with Fixed Height

B. Title: Auto Width with no width constraint; Description: Fixed Width with Auto Height

C. Title: Auto Height with Fixed Width; Description: Auto Width with no constraints

D. Title: Fixed Width with Fixed Height; Description: Fixed Width with Fixed Height

Solution

1. Step 1: Set title for single line

   Title needs to stay on one line, so Auto Width with no width constraint lets it expand horizontally as needed.

2. Step 2: Set description for wrapped text

   Description should wrap and grow vertically, so Fixed Width with Auto Height keeps width fixed and height adjusts to content.

3. Final Answer:

   Title: Auto Width with no width constraint; Description: Fixed Width with Auto Height -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Title single line + Description wrapped = Auto Width + Fixed Width/Auto Height [OK]

Hint: Title single line = Auto Width; Description wrapped = Fixed Width + Auto Height [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using Auto Height for title causing wrapping
• Fixing height on description cutting text
• Applying width constraints on title limiting expansion