What are Figma's drawbacks for UX designers?

As a UX designer, I have years of experience and have encountered complex design requirements across different industries and user demographics.

More contents: https://axureboutique.com 
Axure RP 10 downloads: 
Axure Libraries: https://axureboutique.com/collections/libraries 
Axure Templates: https://axureboutique.com/collections/templates 
Product & UX Tools: https://axureboutique.com/collections/ux 
Free Products: https://axureboutique.com/collections/free 
Mobile Products: https://axureboutique.com/collections/mobile

During a bitcoin project using Figma, we found that its ease of use and emphasis on high-fidelity design sometimes led our team to skip essential low-fidelity wireframing and sketching phases. This resulted in discovering user experience issues later in the process, requiring more rework and adjustments, whereas those problems could have been identified and addressed earlier during the low-fidelity stage.

Moreover, some projects demanded complex interactions and animations, where Figma’s capabilities were relatively limited compared to Axure, which provides more extensive options for interactive and prototyping designs.

As an expert in both Axure and Figma, I’d say that Figma’s drawbacks for UX designers include:

1. Overemphasis on Hi-Fidelity: Figma’s ease of use and focus on high-fidelity designs may lead designers to skip essential low-fi wireframing and sketches. This could hinder early identification of usability issues and limit exploration of design possibilities.

2. Limited Interactivity: While Figma allows basic prototyping, it lacks the depth of interactivity that tools like Axure offer. This could make it challenging to create complex interactions and dynamic prototypes, especially for more intricate projects.

3. Aesthetic Bias: Figma’s polished design environment may inadvertently lead designers to prioritize aesthetics over usability. By relying on low-fi wireframes and sketches, designers can better focus on user flow, content, and seamless interactions.

4. Offline Dependency: Figma being an online tool can be inconvenient when working in environments without internet access. Axure, on the other hand, is an offline tool, ensuring users can continue their work without connectivity issues.

5. Learning Curve: While Figma is beginner-friendly, mastering advanced interactions and animations may require significant effort and time. In contrast, Axure’s powerful capabilities might lead to more complex prototypes, but it also demands a steeper learning curve.

6. Prototyping Limitations: Although Figma has improved its prototyping features, it may still lack certain advanced functionalities available in dedicated prototyping tools like Axure, especially for complex game simulations, e-commerce shops, and functional tools.

It’s essential for UX designers to weigh these factors and consider the specific needs of their projects to make an informed decision among different tools. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and the right choice depends on the project’s requirements and the designer’s proficiency.