The evolving role of high-fidelity prototyping in UX design

When should you use Figma for prototyping?

When should you use ProtoPie for prototyping?

Ten advantages ProtoPie offers over Figma

ProtoPie vs. Figma: what’s the verdict?

As customer needs change all the time, product and UI/UX design keep up to meet these new challenges. This is why high-fidelity prototyping tools have become stronger over time.

The numbers speak for themselves. According to a report by the 

, the UX service market soared to an impressive valuation of $19.2 billion in 2022.

This changing landscape intensifies project stakes, placing more responsibilities on designers overseeing intricate digital experiences. As stakeholders pressure design teams to excel in speed and innovation, high-fidelity prototyping becomes crucial for maintaining a competitive edge.

Thus, a pressing question emerges: what is the best advanced prototyping tool on the market to meet these demands head-on?

Interestingly, Figma has caught significant attention with the launch of its "advanced prototyping" features at Config 2023. This provides paying users access to 

. We at ProtoPie fully support and warmly commend this development. With tools like Figma and ProtoPie available, designers are empowered to excel in advanced prototyping. Thanks to Figma, we're thrilled to see high-fidelity prototyping and interaction design gaining well-deserved attention from designers.

However, this progression raises questions for designers about how Figma and ProtoPie, both esteemed tools in the design space, differ in their approach to advanced prototyping.

Let's delve into an enlightening comparison between 

Figma is the world’s most popular UI design tool, according to the 

. While it’s not a prototyping tool at heart, it does have prototyping capabilities.

Need to showcase a sequence of basic transitions between static screens? Easily do that in Figma by linking frames and adding simple interactions. It is great for simple clickable prototypes with a few states—focusing on a flow, not the actual interactions.

Even with a few states, it can quickly lead to “noodle chaos” whenever you add more. More states lead to more noodles.

In theory, the wiring model of linking frames with each other makes sense. However, when a prototype grows in complexity, it becomes difficult to make sense of, manage, or maintain.

As a response to this, Figma announced its “advanced prototyping” features. This gives its paying users access to variables, expressions & conditionals. Figma started shifting away from purely linear prototyping.

Figma is a great tool if your project meets the following specific use cases:

Click-through prototypes with frames that have a few states.

Early-stage prototyping without having to remake interactions.

 comes in. By using ProtoPie instead of or alongside Figma, you can create realistic, dynamic, and multimodal prototypes for one or 

. This allows you to validate concepts that involve complex interactions, such as tilting a phone in a game or activating a display in a car using voice commands.

Figma alone might not be the right tool to make prototypes with, especially in situations concerning:

sophisticated albeit realistic micro-interactions (beyond tapping and clicking),

or connecting prototypes with (custom) hardware, APIs, etc.

, ProtoPie was ranked the top choice for designers in the advanced prototyping category. We want to position ProtoPie as the easiest high-fidelity prototyping tool to turn your interaction design ideas into realistic prototypes.

With ProtoPie, you can create highly interactive prototypes for all digital products across various industries:

Design teams and their companies across different industries use ProtoPie daily—next to their UI design tool Figma—for all kinds of high-fidelity prototyping. Some of these leading companies are 

If your prototyping projects sound more like the following, you'd be better off using ProtoPie:

Scenarios with multiple states and dependencies.

Conditional and cause-and-effect interactions that trigger other interactions.

Interactions with specific touchscreen triggers but also “non-standard” triggers.

Multimodal interactions, e.g., interactions involving text input, voice, media playback, sensors, etc.

Interactions across multiple devices and screens.

There’s no magic wand in design. Instead, designers must selectively pick the tools they will work with. Needless to say, these need to have the right benefits and features. ProtoPie offers a range of essential features making it your go-to high-fidelity prototyping tool.

Let’s delve into the 10 benefits that ProtoPie has over Figma.

1. Leverage a wide range of triggers & responses for multimodality

Figma’s list of triggers is limited to mostly standard tap & mouse triggers. This is fine for simple user flows, interactions, and presentations. But here’s the rub: if you want anything more complex, you’ll be waiting for eternity.

ProtoPie is different because it has an immense list of 

For triggers alone, ProtoPie has six different categories: touch, conditional, mouse, key, input, and sensor. The foundational touch triggers include everything from tapping, sliding, and pulling to pinching or rotating your phone. Also, you may combine these. For example, a mouse-over interaction that only works when a mouse button is held down.

. You can chain a series of events or detect data inputted—for example, a user’s email address. There are triggers for where the mouse moves—over or out of an element. A trigger set on key presses. Sensory triggers, from voice and sound to phone tilt or compass.

2. Add drag and scrollable areas to prototypes

You can make drag interactions and scrollable areas in Figma. But, they are limited to specific elements only. Also, they cannot influence other elements or interactions in the same frame.

In ProtoPie, drag interactions and scrollable areas can cause other interactions. For example, dragging a layer to the right or left could decrease or increase the total score. You could prototype these kinds of interactions on a single screen.

Discover how scroll can affect other layers, such as 

Advanced prototypes must emulate real-life products. If you are designing a smartphone app, your prototype needs to function like the final product one would use on an actual smartphone.

Imagine you’re prototyping a login page. In ProtoPie, add an 

In Figma, you’d have to create a complex set of wires prototyping the keyboard itself as a workaround. Otherwise, you have to ask people to rely on their imagination to figure out how they’d type. Not only is this more hassle and against the premise of realistic prototyping, but it also takes more time.

4. Play audio, video, and Lottie files in prototypes

Your designs need to be as rich as possible—there might be times when you need to insert media files into your prototypes. Hence, ProtoPie supports 

. And that’s not all. If you’re on the Enterprise plan, you can add dynamic media to your prototype users through a 

Figma, on the other hand, offers no way for users to directly embed audio or Lottie. But video is possible. If you’re creating media-rich prototypes, then there’s only one option: ProtoPie.

5. Bring “if/then” conditioning into your prototypes

 are the mainstay of successful prototypes, setting out key “if/then” rules. Imagine you have a reusable toggle button component. For example, toggle to the right to enable airplane mode and toggle to the left to disable airplane mode. Enabling airplane mode would lead to certain icons appearing and disappearing. At the same time, specific options would get grayed out.

You can make your own reusable toggle button using interactive components and variants in Figma. Traditionally, making the toggle button affect other layers and interactions uniquely depending on a state has been difficult. The latest advanced prototyping features—Figma made available to its paying users—allow you to do simple “if/then” conditioning.

On the other hand, this is where ProtoPie gets to shine and show its true colors. The real magic happens when you combine conditional interactions with ProtoPie’s formulas & variables.

6. Harness the power of dynamic interactions

 are at the heart of dynamic interactions. This is one of the things that set ProtoPie apart from Figma or any other prototyping tool. A prototype instantly becomes dynamic by simply adding a formula to an interaction.

Besides literal values, formulas can consist of variables, arithmetic & modulo operations, text appends, layer properties, and 

It is worth mentioning that you can use all the properties of objects in formulas. For example, it’s possible to monitor the x-position of an object in motion and trigger some responses whenever a particular (calculated) value has been reached.

Use formulas for dynamic interactions, for example,

email address validation based on text input,

counting the number of items in a shopping cart

showing a warning when the volume level exceeds a certain threshold,

and parse an API response in JSON format.

Explore the 10 key differences between ProtoPie and Figma, and learn when to choose each tool for your advanced prototyping needs.

ProtoPie vs. Figma: Which Tool is Better for Advanced Prototyping?

beta version of the ProtoPie Genie Figma plugin

, empowering designers to enhance their prototypes with advanced interactivity directly within Figma.

Since then, we've received invaluable feedback from our user community, which has guided us in refining the Figma Genie plugin.

Enhanced UX flow for a more intuitive experience

Check out the demo below to see these new features in action.

1. Improved UX flow for a more seamless experience

We've significantly improved this version to enhance the user experience with a more intuitive UX flow. Now, you can filter and apply interactions from a list and preview the interaction flows directly in the browser.

This update gives clear instructions on how interactions work, making the user experience smoother.

2. Add camera interactions for more realistic interactions

Take your prototypes to the next level by incorporating camera interactions using your mobile device's camera. When previewing the prototype on mobile devices with the Genie Player app, you can select the front or rear camera view. Also, you can include a shutter button to start and stop the camera view, adding a realistic touch to your prototypes.

3. Create voice interactions with Speech-to-Text

This feature allows your prototype to listen and transcribe spoken words using a listening button. Genie supports over 50 languages for Speech-to-Text, offering the same language options available in ProtoPie Studio for creating 

4. Integrate web-embedded content into your prototype

Enhance your design prototypes by including web-embedded content, such as videos from YouTube and Vimeo. Make sure the URL starts with "https://".

When embedding content from YouTube or Vimeo, you'll have extra control over video settings like Autoplay and Loop, which creates a more dynamic and interactive experience.

5. Add live Google Maps to your prototype for more usability

Incorporate live Google Maps into your prototype for real-time geographic context to enhance user interaction and usability.

You can customize the map's location, interact directly with the map, zoom in and out, and drag to explore different areas, making your prototype more engaging and functional.

6. Preview interactions on mobile devices with the ProtoPie Genie Player app

We're excited to introduce a major update in this new version: the ability to preview and test interactions directly on your mobile devices using the ProtoPie Genie Player app.

In the beta version, users could only test interactions in a web browser. With the new update, you can experience your prototypes on 

ProtoPie Genie 2.0 enables designers to create more engaging and realistic prototypes through camera and voice interactions, seamless web embeds, and live maps. The new Genie Player app allows for easy on-device testing, making it simpler to refine and showcase designs. 

 and take your Figma prototypes to the next level!

ProtoPie Genie 2.0 comes with exciting new features, including camera and voice interactions, web embeds, live maps, and the ProtoPie Genie Player app for mobile user testing.

What’s New in ProtoPie Genie 2.0? Camera, Voice, Web Embeds, and More

How ProtoPie Connect fits into the ProtoPie ecosystem

 is a game-changer for creating interactive, connected prototyping experiences. Whether you're working with multiple screens, integrating custom hardware, or tapping into APIs, ProtoPie Connect opens up a world of possibilities for dynamic prototyping. Dive into this article to discover how to unlock its full potential and enhance your workflow through seamless integrations and advanced features.

ProtoPie Connect is an advanced extension of 

 that enables designers to create experiences replicating real-world interactions across various devices, displays, hardware components, and APIs.

ProtoPie Connect functions as a powerful communication hub, using 

 technology to bridge various clients, such as:

Physical hardware systems like Arduino boards or Logitech G29 steering wheels;

External services like IFTTT webhooks and public APIs.

Discover more about ProtoPie Connect in our 

ProtoPie Connect is an integral part of the ProtoPie ecosystem, designed to integrate seamlessly with our other products:

: Our powerful prototyping application, available on both macOS and Windows, is where you create high-fidelity prototypes.

: A web-based platform that enables you to store, share, and hand off ProtoPie prototypes effortlessly.

: A free app that complements ProtoPie Studio, allowing you to view and test prototypes on iOS, iPad, and Android devices.

ProtoPie Connect has a range of built-in plugins that allow you to integrate your ProtoPie prototypes (Pies) with external hardware devices and services. These include the 

 plugins. Enterprise plan users can upload custom plugins, opening up even more possibilities for creating unique digital experiences.

In addition to these plugins, Connect offers various powerful features to enhance realism, interactivity, and dynamic user testing:

 content like 3D objects and maps via URL or iframe code.

: Easily connect your prototypes to databases and APIs through the 

 allows you to integrate Unity projects with ProtoPie for interactive prototyping and user testing. Unreal Engine 5 integration is also supported.

: Connect prototypes to hardware, APIs, or apps supporting 

: Prototype across multiple screens and devices, including 

, for a comprehensive testing experience.

: Integrate ProtoPie prototypes with custom layers such as web embeds, live cameras, and Unity projects and preview them in a 

 on various smart devices and desktop browsers using ProtoPie Connect.

Having explored the key features of ProtoPie Connect, let's take a look at some of the industries where they can be applied.

: Control prototypes that interact with APIs and driving simulators and integrate real signals from steering wheels, seats, and lights.

: Enhance game prototypes with increased interactivity using live data and 

: Streamline appliance and mobile app integration to emulate real-time device behavior for efficient user testing.

: Use camera feeds in applications like surgery robots and medical imaging systems.

: Prototype interactive TV interfaces with multi-screen support.

: Design realistic smartwatch experiences and cross-device interactions and test them on your Wear OS device.

Learn how to create software and hardware-integrated prototypes with our free Connect course from ProtoPie School. 

The ProtoPie Connect add-on is available in three tiers, each designed to meet different prototyping needs and budgets:

 This tier is perfect for large teams and organizations that require advanced integration and collaboration features. It is included with the Enterprise plan and offers the most comprehensive capabilities.

 Available as an add-on for Pro and Basic plan users, Connect Core is ideal for professionals and small teams seeking robust features without needing a full enterprise solution.

 A great starting point for individuals or newcomers to ProtoPie, this tier offers access to basic features at no cost.

For a detailed comparison of the features included in each tier, 

Experience the future of prototyping with ProtoPie Connect. Explore the possibilities and see how you can bring your ideas to life like never before.

Learn how ProtoPie Connect can boost your prototyping with easy integrations and powerful features for connected experiences.

Dynamic Prototyping with ProtoPie Connect: Features, Use Cases, and More

Improved cloud page layout for better storage visibility

Revision history control for optimized storage space

We are excited to share the latest updates to 

, giving you more control over your cloud storage management and Pie history revisions. These new features will help you make the most of your storage space and improve your overall sharing and collaboration experience.

Keep reading to find out more about these updates.

 page! This page lets you easily access and manage your ProtoPie Cloud storage data. The options and views available will vary based on your subscription plan and member type.

Users on the Free or Basic plan will see their personal space's storage capacity. The Pies will be listed in descending order by size so you can quickly identify the files taking up the most space.

Free plan users can store up to 50MB of Pie files, while Basic plan users have up to 500MB of storage. If you need more space, you can easily 

 page displays different views and management options based on the team member's 

: editor, viewer, team owner, or team admin. It shows the top two projects occupying the most space and the size of all interaction libraries. It also lists the Pies within each project in descending order by size, the editor’s name, and access to the revision history management menu.

Editors can manage revision history, while viewers have limited management capabilities. All team members with editing access can switch between teams from the dropdown menu.

Team admins and owners who are editors can upgrade the team space storage if needed by clicking on the 

The top section on the Enterprise Cloud Storage page displays the two teams occupying the most space. It also lists the projects within each team in descending order by size, includes the Pie creator’s name, and provides access to the revision history management menu.

We’re also releasing an update on how private projects are managed in Pro plan team spaces.

For team members without viewing permission, the names of private projects are displayed as "Private project." Similarly, the names of Pies and Pie creators are shown as "Private Pie" and "Private member," respectively, and the "Manage revision history" menu is disabled.

To help you make the most of your Pro plan’s team storage space, we released a revision history management feature in ProtoPie Cloud. This feature allows team editors to delete older versions of a Pie that are taking up too much storage, optimizing the team's storage space.

Here are the simple steps to manage a Pie’s revision history:

Go to the 'Storage' menu and select 'Manage revision history' from the Pie list.

Navigate to the revision history tab for the selected Pie.

The revision history feature is not available for Free and Basic plans. If you require more advanced tools for improved storage efficiency, consider 

You can also archive interaction libraries that are no longer needed to free up additional space in your cloud storage.

Q. How can I add more storage to my team space?

If you’re an editor on the Pro plan and need more storage space, you can email your team admin to request more storage. You’ll be able to copy their email address from the 

If you’re the team admin and your team needs more space, 

Q. How can I optimize my team’s storage space?

Here are some of the best ways to optimize your team's storage space:

Delete older versions of a Pie file that take up too much storage from the 

Archive interaction libraries that are no longer needed to free up additional space in your cloud storage.

Q. What are some best practices for optimizing a prototype’s size?

If your file takes a long time to load, it may be due to the images and videos included in it. Large files with many scenes can have performance issues.

We recommend the following to optimize a Pie file's size before uploading it to the cloud:

flattening layers that are not linked to any triggers/responses in your design tool and reimport them into ProtoPie

reducing the size of images/video layers as much as possible

reducing the number of triggers/responses by using components whenever possible

reducing the number of scenes in your Pie file

We hope you enjoy these updates. With an improved cloud page layout, better storage management, and optimized revision history, managing your projects is now more streamlined, enhancing your overall prototyping flow.

For more updates and to connect with others, 

Make the most of your ProtoPie Cloud storage space and get the best collaboration experience with these new features.

What’s New? Optimized Cloud Storage Experience

We are thrilled to announce the latest addition to ProtoPie Connect: the Unity plugin! This powerful plugin closes the gap between 

 and Unity, elevating your projects' interactivity. Let's explore what this means for you and how you can make the most of this plugin in your workflow.

📣 Join us on June 4th at 10 AM CEST for an exciting livestream. We will introduce the ProtoPie Connect Unity plugin, demonstrate how it works, guide you through the setup process, and showcase several live demos. 

In ProtoPie Connect, you can embed Unity layers using 

 bridges ProtoPie and Unity, allowing for smooth communication and an interactive design experience.

The Unity plugin is free to download and install for all ProtoPie plans. However, integrating Unity interactivity within Connect is a feature exclusively available to our Connect Enterprise users. Please refer to the ProtoPie 

 to understand the features included in each tier.

 to download the ProtoPie Connect Unity plugin.

The Unity Plugin is designed to make integrating ProtoPie with Unity simple and seamless. Here’s a quick overview:

Add the plugin to your Unity project as a package. This will allow you to map ProtoPie messages with Unity events without writing code.

Configure message mappings through the "Message Interaction" script component. This setup allows you to specify the messages between ProtoPie and Unity, streamlining the interaction process.

Customize how messages are handled within your scene, including message directions, actions to be triggered in Unity, and values to be sent back to ProtoPie

For detailed explanations of how the Unity plugin works, please refer to the 

ProtoPie Connect's Stage Views feature enables you to integrate ProtoPie prototypes with diverse custom layers, including 

. This integration enhances the user testing experience and renders your designs more dynamic.

With Connect Core, you can integrate one Unity layer for all Stages, while Connect Enterprise has no limit to the number of Unity layers you can add.

Adding Unity scenes to your project is straightforward with the Unity layer. Here's how:

: Use WebGL as the target platform and archive the build folder or files into a zip file.

: In ProtoPie Connect’s Stage view, click add and select Unity.

: Click Insert to import the WebGL build zip file.

For more detailed instructions, check out the documentation on 

The Unity plugin enables various use cases across various fields that require interactive prototyping. Below are a few examples:

 Use Unity to develop game mechanics and environments, then bring your Unity project into ProtoPie to test menus, HUDs, and other interface elements.

 Prototype advanced automotive interfaces by integrating 3D car models and environments from Unity with interactive UI components in ProtoPie. This can be used for in-car entertainment, navigation, and control interfaces.

 Leverage Unity's VR capabilities to build VR experiences and seamlessly integrate them with ProtoPie for designing and testing user interfaces and interactions.

 Create prototypes for healthcare applications involving 3D anatomical models or simulations.

Create more interactive designs with ProtoPie Connect

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