Patrick Morgan @itspatmorgan Twitter profile

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@witchboyvibez

@zhangning233

@Ozohu18

Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Gm to the designers who appreciate a nice, tidy @figma file structure.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

I asked designers for their favorite @figma keyboard shortcuts. 220+ responses and hours of synthesis later... Here are the top 10 keyboard shortcuts to supercharge your workflow:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

For those interested in my @figma project cover organization and workflow, here’s a quick intro to the library I maintain for my team to make designing in Figma even easier.🧵

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Once you craft a presentation in @figma , traditional slide tools just feel... insufficient. But to unlock that power, I needed to set guardrails to give structure to the blank canvas. 7 small enhancements made all the difference:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

Fancy design words

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Fancy words hit different

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

Feeling like your @figma account could use some tidying? I know, I've been there. Here are the 8 steps I follow to build a file thumbnail component that's minimal, consistent, and scales:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Story of my career: • Too creative for the engineering crowd • Too logical for the design crowd. Forever a creative technology misfit.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Story of my career: - Too creative for the engineering crowd - Too logical for the design crowd Forever a creative technology misfit.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Don't know where this came from, but damn it's amazing 😂😂 Poor groups.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

7 months

Senior designers: what's a book or article you'd like to make required reading for all junior designers?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Nobody wants to hear this, but creating and landing a new design system into existing software is at least an 18 month project, in my experience.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Nobody wants to hear this, but trying to create and land a design system in an existing enterprise product is, in my experience, an 18 month-ish project.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Designers new to @figma , avoid this simple mistake: ❌ Don't use a Group with a rectangle layer as a background fill ✅ Use a Frame, which has its own native background fill property

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

Senior Designers: What's a book you wish was required reading for all junior designers?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Senior designers: What are your interview red flags when considering a new company? 🚩🚩🚩

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

A new era of responsive design is here

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

11 months

Senior designers: What high level heuristics do you return to most frequently in your work?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

Crafting a presentation in @figma makes traditional slide tools feel painfully inadequate. To unleash its power, I set up guardrails to structure the blank canvas. These 7 small enhancements made all the difference:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Well this is new and heartwarming in @figma . Hug x Hug is, like, my whole life philosophy 🤗 🥰

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

10 months

Senior designers: What presentation tips have helped you the most over your career?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

I left my job in August, completely burned out. At the time, I was: 1. Dreading design work 2. Anxious every morning before starting 3. Overwhelmingly pessimistic Definitely not my usual self. But now, 10 weeks later, I'm finally bouncing back.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

In UX design, they taught me to be a *missionary*: changing companies through design. But the companies that hired me? They wanted a *mercenary* – an executioner of their mission. They didn't want to be changed. That misunderstanding caused me immense pain.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

As Karri notes, B2B design is quite different from B2C, but it doesn’t get much publicity. I learned a lot by designing 3 separate 9-10-figure cybersecurity startups in the last 8 years. A few thoughts: Managing multi-persona dynamics The distinction between buyer and user is

Karri Saarinen

@karrisaarinen

3 months

Last night, we at @linear hosted a design leadership event. We invited about ~25 design leaders from top companies to join @lil_dill and me to discuss b2b design, quality, and craft. There were many good comments and questions that came out of this. I'll try to see if I can

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

@MKBHD "Adaptive Audio" rebrand: "Selective Listening"

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Designers: Be as specific as possible when linking your @figma designs. You can link directly to: 1. Your Team 2. A Project 3. A File 4. A Page within a File 5. Any specific Frame within a File Here's a visual reference for where to find each:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

In today's cutthroat world, getting laid off as a remote worker is brutally impersonal. Within a couple of hours, my laptop was shut down, erasing 2+ years of my hard work and creative energy. No wonder employee loyalty is plummeting.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

As a designer at tech companies, I encountered a frustrating disconnect: When executives say "UX", they often mean the "experience of using the visual interface." NOT the "end-to-end user experience."

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Designers: What are your top three @figma keyboard shortcuts?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

4 months

I've been laid off 3 times in my career. The most brutal part? Waking up to the fact that I didn’t own the creative projects I had given thousands of hours of my life to create. That loss fueled my drive to become an entrepreneur.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

I'm drawn to designers who have rocked the "design team of one" role. They're pragmatic, creating impactful work that thrives in reality, not just in theory. That's my kind of person.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

8 months

Why designers should give a f**k about design systems News flash: many designers are reluctant about design systems. While it might sound obvious, your first order of business in establishing a system is to get the rest of the design team to care. Otherwise, you're dead on

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

I’m drawn to designers who have rocked the “design team of one” role. They’re pragmatic, creating impactful work that thrives in reality, not just in theory. That’s my kind of person.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

True or False: Software would be better if all PMs had to work as either a developer or designer first.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 month

Why does B2B design get so little attention from the design community?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Designers, do you have a personal utility library ready? Just like a chef's mise-en-place, it helps to curate your essentials. Here's a peek into mine:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

A number of folks have asked about how I manage work within my @figma files. The honest answer is: it depends on the type of file I’m working in. So before I dive into any one file, here’s a quick summary of my top file types. 🧵

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Say goodbye to custom web design. In the next 5 years, browsers won't render *your* interface. They'll construct *their own* interface for your content.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

4 months

I quit my job in August, utterly burned out. Back then, I was: 1. Loathing design work 2. Starting each day with anxiety 3. Drowning in pessimism That's not who I am! But now, after 4 months, I'm finding my new groove.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

In-house designers know that "process" is never neat and linear. When it comes to delivering quality design, flexibility, adaptability, and resilience take precedence over any rigid process.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

11 months

Senior designers: What resources would you recommend to less experienced designers to level up their product strategy toolkit?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Gm to all the designers out there who appreciate a nice, tidy @figma color palette. 👋

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

4 months

True or False: Software would be better if all designers had to take some software engineering classes as part of their curriculum.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

The success of design at software companies depends more on having a product leader who cares about design than it does on the design team itself.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Insanely OP product designer workflow: Sketching on my iPad using FigJam in the @figma app, then organizing and annotating those sketches on my mac in real time. 🤯

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

I'm not your typical designer. No dazzling visuals here. I’m not the "cool" one in the scene. But that didn’t stop me from: 1. Working for top companies 2. Building an influential network 3. Scaling billion-dollar enterprise startups Remember, appearances aren't everything.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

I love design, but if I were starting my career from scratch today and wanted to shape UX strategy at tech companies, I'd go for a PM role, not design.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

The rush is irresistible.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Designers: Do you create presentations with Figma? Why or why not?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

I don't design "experiences." I don't design "products." I design software. I'm a software designer.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

I love design. But, if I were starting my tech career from scratch today, I'd choose to begin as an engineer, as I did originally. Here's why: 1. More job openings 2. Clearer expectations for junior programmers 3. Higher pay sooner 4. Abundant structure to support newcomers

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

90% of creating a good design is really just: Sitting down to do the work. Exploring more than you think is necessary. Prioritizing and cutting more than is comfortable. The little stuff that makes all the difference.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

The first time I got laid off, I questioned if the company could survive without its designers. To my surprise, they continued without a hitch. That's when I realized: Software companies need design, but not necessarily full-time designers.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Recognizing my burnout wasn't immediate. It started with: - The fading excitement for new projects - The cynicism - The morning anxiety It's crucial to listen to these early whispers before they become screams.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Gm to all the designers who savor making presentations that are just a lil bit nicer than what anyone else in the company can do. Because you're a designer... and you design them in @figma ... and oh, your presentation is also a prototype. 😎

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Want your @figma file thumbnails to seamlessly blend in with the rest of the UI? Use these styles on your Frame👇🎨 Light mode: - Background color: #FFFFFF - Border bottom: 8px solid #EEEEEE Dark mode: - Background color: #2C2C2C - Border bottom: 8px solid #383838

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

8 months

Building color stacks in @figma is time-consuming. To reduce repetition and save myself *hours* of work, I made a simple, stackable color swatch component. Here's how:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

Senior Designers: What early career mistake will you never make again?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

4 months

Creating a design system at a startup? Repeat after me… "Our system won't be Material Design, IBM Carbon, or Adobe Spectrum and that's okay.”

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Why does this feel so true? 🤔

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Design matters more than most people think and less than most designers think.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

Do you feel like in-house PM and Design roles are merging?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

How do you think Apple's Vision Pro will change the UX/UI landscape?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 month

Putting my money where my mouth is... Founding a b2b SaaS company. Buckle up, it's gonna be a big year. 🫡 🚀

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Top-notch designers and engineers don't rely on bloated product requirement docs to create an exceptional product. They simply need: - A clear problem statement - A sense of the audience - Reasonable constraints - The freedom to work their magic

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

Designers: About how many hours per day would you say you have @figma open on you computer?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 month

At first glance, @getairchat may seem like any other voice chat app, but promoting voice transcripts to center stage sets it apart. Let's take a closer look. The Surprising Power of Voice-to-Text Transcription In most voice-led apps, content starts and ends as audio. Airchat

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

Senior Designers: What high level heuristics do you use most frequently in your work?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

7 months

Interested in learning how I design file thumbnails for @figma ? Tomorrow's edition of Better by Design includes: 1. Written instructions & context 2. 45min @loom video work session creating it from scratch 3. Free Figma community file Subscribe to get it directly! 💌

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Senior Designers: What are your favorite questions to ask candidates when interviewing? ❓❓❓

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

11 months

1. The era of design agencies 2. The era of in-house design 3. The era of _____________ What comes next?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

10 months

When I open a @figma design in prototype mode I immediately notice flaws I missed when looking at the screen in design mode. Why?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Pro-tip for remote workers: Get out of the house every day. Just stepping outside into the world will skyrocket your mood.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

Oh, we're flexin' huh?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 years

@figmadesign has reached the point for me as a digital product design tool where, if a new job opportunity wouldn’t consider using it, I wouldn’t consider that job opportunity.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

In the current tech job market, who's worse off: Product Designers or Product Managers?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

1 year

Visual storytelling is a design superpower, yet most presentation tools are pretty lacking. This week in @uxdesigncc I shared how I use @figma to help me craft better presentations. Take a look!

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

30 Rock still crushes me its unrelenting, hilarious gems 😂

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

What boot camps think I need from a junior software designer: - Research & strategy - Persona creation - Design sprints - Etc... What I actually need: - Execute quality UI independently - Some exposure to UX fundamentals - A willingness to learn

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

11 months

Fancy design words.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

@figma 5. Automate frame naming I don’t give my slides descriptive names. I think it’s a waste of time. So instead of manually renaming frames, I automate the process by using the wonderful plugin Super Tidy by @basiclines .

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

8 months

What product management gets from design systems The product management team doesn't benefit as directly from design systems as design or engineering, but what it does get highlights the core value that systems return for the business. Design systems are a high-leverage

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

I think about presentations and prototypes as part of the same family in @figma . Presentations are lightweight prototypes. Prototypes are powerful presentations. To capture prototype power without overcomplicating, I use these 5 techniques:

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

My first deadly sin of startup design systems? Comparing my system to giants like Material Design, IBM Carbon, and Adobe Spectrum and expecting the same level of detail. Their DS teams are bigger than my whole company! Great resources, but terrible comparisons.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

True or False: Software would be better if all Product Managers had to take some design courses as part of their curriculum.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

I have a confession: I've been... designing again 😱. Having fun learning @framer , building a portfolio site for the first time in half a decade, and making sense of everything I've done designing three 9-10 figure B2B startups since 2018. Still WIP, but getting somewhere.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Your secret weapon as an in-house product designer? Strong allies in engineering, product, marketing, and sales.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Senior Designers: Have you ever considered switching into product management?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

Most companies that hired me had big design dreams. But here's the reality: Winning the market often didn't require groundbreaking design. In most cases, they just needed to nail the basics, follow best practices, and let their already good products shine.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

Senior designers: What's one business metric that every designer should understand?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

10 months

I don't have a general presentation tips article to share yet (but I will!), but I do have one with tips for making presentations in Figma. So if you're interested in that, check it out! 👇

How I Use Figma to Craft Better Presentations

Guidelines for showcasing your strength as a visual storyteller.

www.betterbydesign.cc

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

6 months

I've dealt with this multiple times: Executives demand flawless prototypes from a design team for a big presentation, disregarding whether they're grounded in reality. A surprisingly common, yet terrible practice.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

25 days

I often go straight to visual design. Burn me 🔥

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

11 months

With the additional complexity now in @figma , I wonder: What would a Garageband version of Figma look like?

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

Designers may not like hearing it, but businesses don't prioritize user experience out of the goodness of their hearts. They do so because it: 1. Attracts new customers 2. Makes selling a breeze 3. Retains existing customers 4. Enhances operations

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

5 months

I’m more bullish than ever on design as a skill set. I’m more bearish than ever on traditional design career paths.

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

3 months

Senior Designers: Have you ever worked at a company with a Chief Design Officer? (Spoiler alert: I haven't)

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 months

I don't always name my @figma layers but when I do it's because I'm trying to get prototypes to animate correctly across states. 😅

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

2 years

@figma @ImAndrewPons @TeeAnn__ @SuperAmar #7 . Copy as PNG → ⇧ ⌘ C Endless exports be gone! Copy a PNG to the clipboard with this shortcut and be on your way! via @joeyjungle

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Patrick Morgan

@itspatmorgan

10 months

Most companies don't need to be innovating on UI design. They need to be following the lead of the innovators and trying to nail best practices. That's it.

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