Figma’s latest best on AI, FigJam, promises to do the unthinkable: make our meetings not just bearable but useful. Gone are the days when “brainstorming sessions” were corporate-speak for mandatory socializing.
With FigJam’s new AI tools, we’re looking at a future where ideas flow as smoothly as coffee during an all-nighter.
After Adobe’s acquisition of Figma hit anti-trust roadblocks, Figma doubled down on innovation. Its suite of AI tools now offers to liven up the dullest of meetings with icebreakers and can even turn your scattered Post-it notes into a well-structured email.
What is Figjam?
Think of FigJam as a huge digital whiteboard where you and your coworkers can all draw, write, and slap digital sticky notes all over the place, all at the same time.
To start, log in to FigJam online, and boom, you’re all looking at the same board from your own laptops or tablets, even if you’re chilling at home in your PJs.
Image: FigJam / Figma
You can use it to brainstorm ideas, sketch out plans, or organize your thoughts. It’s like when you’re planning out a big project and need a space to dump all your ideas before sorting them out.
And the cool part? You don’t have to wait your turn to talk or share your ideas. You just grab a virtual pen and go for it. You can even vote on the best ideas with little digital stickers, and nobody’s idea gets lost in the noise.
FigJam is all about teamwork without the headache of being in the same room. It’s easy, it’s fun, and it might even make your next group project something you actually look forward to.
Figjam features
Figjam comes stacked with features, and the company says they’re just getting started with plenty of more tools and features in the pipeline.
Here are some of the features Figjam currently offers at the time of writing:
- Real-time Team Huddles: It’s like multiplayer for work. Everyone jumps on the board and starts throwing ideas around like they’re making a salad.
- Templates Galore: Whether you’re plotting world domination or just the next office party, there’s a template that’ll make you look way more organized than you actually are.
- Widgets That Work: Voting stickers, timers, and emoji reactions. Because nothing says “I agree” like a thumbs-up emoji slapped next to your boss’s latest idea.
- Draw and Drop: Got a pen? Great. Draw something. It won’t look like a toddler’s fridge art, thanks to FigJam’s nifty smoothing feature.
- Chat It Up: Built-in chat lets you whisper sweet nothings or, you know, actual feedback, right there on the board.
- Figma Integration: It plays nicely with its big sibling, Figma, so you can move from doodles to designs without breaking a sweat.
Image: KnowTechie
How much does FigJam cost?
FigJam offers a freemium model where teams can start using it for free with basic features.
For those looking to get more out of the tool, Figma (the company behind FigJam) typically provides various subscription options. These options can include additional features like unlimited boards, advanced team functionalities, and more integrations.
Here is some pricing I was able to dig up around FigJam’s different tiers:
- Starter Plan: This is the free tier, which is perfect for individuals or small teams just getting their feet wet with collaborative whiteboarding.
- Professional Plan: For those who need more firepower, the Professional plan comes at $3 per editor per month. It unlocks unlimited boards and access to team libraries – a solid choice for small to medium-sized teams.
- Organization Plan: At $5 per editor per month, this plan is designed for larger teams. It adds features like centralized management, custom templates and branding, and single sign-on (SSO).
- Enterprise Plan: Also at $5 per editor per month, focusing on providing workspaces and advanced security and compliance features, tailored for enterprises that need the highest level of organization and security.
FigJam – Online Collaborative Whiteboard for Teams
FigJam is an online collaborative whiteboarding tool designed to facilitate team brainstorming, planning, and project mapping with ease and efficiency.
What We Like:
- Real-time collaboration capabilities that keep entire teams on the same page, regardless of their physical location.
- A user-friendly interface that simplifies the brainstorming process without a steep learning curve.
- Access to a variety of templates and tools that support a broad range of planning and design activities.
- A freemium model that allows teams to test drive FigJam’s core features before committing financially.
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According to Fast Company, companies like Code and Theory are already harnessing FigJam’s AI to speed up creative processes and jumpstart stalled discussions.
“The typical Code and Theory meeting starts with execs, designers, marketing pros, and technical staff all riffing on a website or product prototypes in real time. Engineers are coding in Figma’s dev mode environment, while marketing experts could be coming up with website or ad copy in FigJam. If it all sounds very future-of-work, that’s part of Figma’s appeal.
For Code and Theory’s cofounder and executive chairman Dan Gardner, Figma’s AI tools are not just about meetings that move a little faster—though, of course, that helps. A small prompt suggestion from an AI, or even a hallucination, can get a stalled meeting over its inertia. At Code and Theory, that has meant creative meetings that are better, though not necessarily shorter. “We think that the conversation around AI only as an efficiency driver is a losing battle,” Gardner said, “AI is a tool for creativity. It’s a multiplier.”
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows; the AI is in beta, and there are hiccups. It’ll sort your notes with finesse, but ask it to handle a Gantt chart, and you might as well be asking it to make you a latte.
Figma’s playing the long game here, envisioning a world where AI doesn’t just make meetings less of a chore but also opens the gates to design for the masses. Think less “elitist designer club” and more “if you can type, you can design.”
The Twitterati and TikTok gurus are having a field day, showcasing FigJam’s prowess and its occasional flubs. But for the most part, users are loving it.
With FigJam’s AI, Figma is painting a future where meetings might be the hot ticket rather than calendar clutter. And while AI isn’t ready to take over the creative world just yet, it’s a promising glimpse into a more inclusive and efficient design process.
Overall, FigJam’s AI is a bold move in a direction that could change how we collaborate creatively.
FigJam – Online Collaborative Whiteboard for Teams
FigJam is an online collaborative whiteboarding tool designed to facilitate team brainstorming, planning, and project mapping with ease and efficiency.
Try it FREE
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Kevin is KnowTechie’s founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.
