Figma, a San Francisco based tech company, is unleashing the first ever interface design tool with real-time collaboration to the rest of the world with the launch of its Global Design Community in Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa. Figma plans to extend the initiative to other countries soon but right now, it’s Africa to the world! Learn more at www.figma.com/africa.
Why Africa?
Figma is one of the few US software companies paying attention to the untapped potential in Africa. With ~80% of Figma users located outside of the US – and a large number of those users based in Africa – Figma is uniquely positioned to suit the African design enthusiast’s software needs.
Why Figma & the Global Design Community?
Figma’s mission is to make design accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world. That starts with the product — Figma is the only digital design tool that runs on any computer that connects to the internet, is easy to use, easy to collaborate with, easy to learn and is free for individual users and small design teams. Through Figma’s global design community, Figma aims to activate ongoing conversations about the key role of design professionals to the burgeoning tech scene in Africa, while highlighting their contributions to the economic growth and development of the region.
Figma is optimistic that this Global Design Community can and will be a catalyst for the growth of the local design labour markets!
For more information, contact Namnso Ukpanah (Figma Africa Lead Advocate) for more information on what Figma is working on as well as its vision for Figma’s Global Design Community.
Twitter: @namnsoukpanah , Email: namnsoukpanah@gmail.com
FACT SHEET
From Figma:
We were inspired to start this effort after our CEO came to Lagos in January to speak at a Figma Design Systems Conference. While in Nigeria, we saw first-hand the booming tech scene and demand both for designers and for learning design skills.
The demand for designers matched what we have seen across the globe — design has the power to be a gateway to economic opportunity. Software is taking over every aspect of our lives, and while tech gains strength, within tech design specifically is growing even faster. We see the ratio of engineers to designers falling as companies are realizing how design can be their competitive advantage. There is a worldwide demand for designers and we believe when given the opportunity, talented people can acquire the skills they need to join the global labour market.
We are combining (1) our free, easy to use, cross-platform tool with (2) educational content distributed through already-established networks and (3) an online and in-person community that mentors and helps teach each other to foster thriving design ecosystems full of talented designers.
Specifically, the program includes:
An online community:
- A Slack community that connects designers online and encourages continual skill development with design challenges, mentoring and networking. Join Figma Africa Slack Channel Here
In-Person Events:
- Being a Designer in Tech Roadshow: Introducing design as a career path, how to get started in design, and connecting designers in Accra, Lagos and Capetown.
- Register/RSVP for the events
- @ MEST Lagos on May 5 here
- @ MEST Accra on May 12 here
- @ MEST Cape Town on May 26th here
- Figma x Github Hackathon: Bringing design and engineering together to build a working product over the course of a weekend in Accra, Lagos and Capetown. More information coming soon.
Partnerships with other networks
- Hotels.ng Virtual Internship: A 12-week, online-based program open to anyone in Africa where participants learn to design and code through a series of challenges and get paid while doing it. Sign up by May 1.
- Campus Ambassador Program: Plugging design into Ingressive’s University Campus Ambassador Network in Ghana and Nigeria. More information coming soon.
This program is being run by our designer advocate Namnso Ukpanah, and the on-the-ground BD/partnership /logistics/tech integration gurus at Ingressive. You can check out all of the things we are doing and get involved at www.figma.com/africa or the Figma Africa twitter page.
