I am teaching UX/UI basics with the software Figma, and I am constantly looking for new methods to make it a great experience for all students.

Last time I wrote about the Figma City that this course builds to get into collaborative methods and fun. I also do “mini design sprints”, brainstorming sessions and standard technical blocks. My aim is to mix passive and active sessions, individual and team work to get everyone involved. The worst thing that can happen is an online course where most of the cameras are turned off! So here's another way to get everyone interacting, communicating and developing together.

The Figma Class Conference Day
I use the new (built-in) whiteboarding tool FigJam to create a platform for the conference. Here I create an agenda for the day. It is usually the last day of a short module where most students have a project to present to the class, but unlike a presentation or a final exam where grades are at stake, this conference is completely free and without pressure.

The procedure

• One day in advance I present the agenda, where the first slot in the morning is a welcome by the lecturer
• Participants can choose time slots to present their projects designed in Figma
• OR participants can also talk about something else that is not directly related to Figma, or about a project that was not made with Figma
• Additionally I add time slots for workshops, where not only the lecturer but the students can show something or explore a special topic together
• The schedule of course includes breaks and a farewell in the afternoon
• In Zoom, I open a few breakout sessions so that the 20 participants can spread out
• In the FigJam board I offer trading cards like the ones that Figma proposes

Conclusion
I am very happy with the result. I can't think of a better format right now to complement a module filled with the ideas of collaborative work, real time, design thinking and Figma.