Too often we see teams waste countless hours perfecting high-fidelity (hi-fi) designs in Figma or other design tools, only for developers to have to rebuild everything from scratch. The reality? Hi-fi static designs are slowing you down. They create unnecessary work, increase costs, and delay testing in real-world environments. Instead, we champion an approach that combines UI prototyping with frontend development, resulting in faster, cheaper, and more effective digital products.
The Problem with Hi-Fi Design in Figma
Tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and Sketch are great for visualising concepts, but when it comes to actual product development, they introduce inefficiencies that hurt your bottom line.
Developers Have to Rebuild Everything
No matter how pixel-perfect a Figma design is, developers still have to manually translate it into code. This duplication of effort means:
• Extra time spent recreating layouts, typography, and interactions.
• UI inconsistencies between design and production.
• Inefficient handovers that slow down development cycles.
Static Designs Can’t Be Tested Properly
Hi-fi designs in Figma look great, but they’re just images. They don’t account for:
• Real-world interactivity (hover states, animations, responsiveness).
• Dynamic content changes (like user-generated content or API-driven elements).
• Accessibility considerations (how real users with disabilities interact).
The result? Teams make assumptions instead of testing real functionality.
Wasted Time on “Perfect” Screens That Get Scrapped
How many times have teams spent weeks perfecting a design, only to throw it away after usability testing?
• UI adjustments after development = costly rework.
• Delayed iteration cycles = longer time to market.
• Client or stakeholder changes = hours of wasted effort.
The solution? Stop treating static mockups as the final product and start prototyping in code.
A Better Way: Combining UI Prototyping with Frontend Development
Instead of spending weeks refining static designs, we advocate for a design-in-the-browser approach, where:
• UI is built in real frontend code from day one.
• Prototypes can be tested in real environments early and often.
• Iterations happen faster and at a lower cost.
How This Works in Practice:
Design the Core System, Not Every Screen
Instead of obsessing over every pixel in Figma, define:
• A design system (colours, typography, spacing, reusable components).
• Core UI elements in actual frontend code (buttons, cards, forms).
Prototype Directly in Code
• Use frontend frameworks like Tailwind, Bootstrap, or component-based libraries to build functional prototypes.
• Test real interactions in a browser, not in a static design tool.
Iterate, Test, Improve, All in the Frontend
• Run usability tests on an actual working product, not a static mockup.
• Make changes instantly, no need to update Figma and then redo development.
• Ensure developers, designers, and stakeholders collaborate directly in a real environment.
The Benefits of Prototyping with Code:
Faster Development
• No wasted effort on unnecessary hi-fi designs.
• UI is built once, not twice.
Lower Costs
• Less rework, fewer handovers, and faster iteration cycles.
• More efficient use of design and development resources.
Better Testing & Real-World Validation
• Interactive prototypes mean real usability testing, not just visual reviews.
• Performance and accessibility can be assessed early.
More Accurate Final Product
• What you prototype is what gets built, no disconnect between design and development.
• Developers work with actual UI components, not abstract concepts.
We don’t waste time on perfect-but-useless static screens. We believe in building fast, testing early, and iterating with real users in real environments.
If you want to create faster, cheaper, and more effective digital products, let’s talk.