From Figma to Power BI: Building a Design System Workflow for Data Visualisation.
Connecting Figma and Power BI for a seamless visual analytics design workflow.
Designing for data visualisation is a discipline in itself. Unlike marketing sites or mobile apps, analytics platforms demand precision, consistency, and a deep sensitivity to how users read, interpret, and act on information. Figma provides a workflow that bridges design and implementation, ensuring Power BI dashboards don’t just look polished but actively drive decision-making.
In this post, I’ll walk through an end-to-end Figma workflow tailored for data and analytics teams, drawing on lessons learned from implementing design systems inside enterprise banking and government contexts.
Discovery in FigJam: Defining Information Needs
Every strong workflow begins upstream. Instead of rushing to UI, start by mapping user needs:
Stakeholder workshops in FigJam → capture KPIs, metrics, and the "jobs to be done."
Information hierarchy mapping → prioritise the visuals that matter most (e.g., executive scorecards vs. analyst drill-downs).
Data storytelling flow → sketch out user journeys (e.g., “What happens after the CFO sees a red KPI?”).
Example: In one engagement, a banking team mapped 40+ metrics in FigJam, then consolidated them into a north-star KPI hierarchy that informed every visual in the dashboard.
Component-Driven Libraries in Figma
Power BI dashboards thrive on consistency. Figma becomes the single source of truth by hosting:
Design tokens → colour palettes (aligned with brand accessibility), typography, grid spacing.
Reusable components → card templates, slicers, filter panels, navigation bars.
Visualisation frames → pre-built bar, line, and donut chart containers that match Power BI defaults but extend them with accessibility and brand polish.
Tip: Use Token Studio in Figma to sync colours and typography directly with Power BI JSON theme files, so design and implementation stay in lock-step.
Prototyping the Dashboard Experience
Static mockups don’t capture the fluidity of analytics. Figma prototypes help simulate:
Drill-through flows → clicking a KPI card to reveal detail pages.
Interactions → toggling slicers, changing themes, expanding a table.
Responsive behaviours → desktop vs. mobile views of the same dashboard.
Example: An enterprise HR analytics dashboard was prototyped in Figma to test whether managers could complete tasks (e.g., finding attrition risks) in under 3 clicks. The prototype validated the flow before a single dataset was wired up.
Developer Handoff: From Figma to Power BI
Smooth handoff is crucial. With Figma’s Dev Mode:
Developers can inspect spacing, styles, and variables.
Export assets like icons and logos optimised for Power BI.
Annotate component usage (e.g., “This slicer maps to field ‘Region’ in Power BI”).
Advanced move: Use GitHub to store dual artefacts: Figma tokens and Power BI theme JSON files. This creates a design-ops bridge where designers and engineers speak the same language.
Version Control & Iteration
Data visualisation evolves constantly. KPIs shift, regulations change, and executives demand new cuts of data. Figma workflows support:
Branching for experiments → e.g., test different layouts for a financial overview page.
Merge protocols → validated changes are merged back into the master design library.
Design documentation → every update is captured with rationale, making audits easier in regulated industries.
Example: A government agency required annual accessibility audits. Because the Figma workflow tracked design rationale, compliance teams could easily verify that dashboard updates maintained WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration at Scale
The true value of this workflow emerges when design, data, and product teams collaborate seamlessly:
Product Managers → validate that dashboards align with business strategy.
Designers → enforce consistency and UX clarity.
Engineers / BI Developers → implement Power BI reports efficiently.
Executives & Stakeholders → leave comments and approvals directly in prototypes.
A strong Figma workflow is more than a design exercise—it’s a business enabler. In Power BI environments, the difference between a cluttered dashboard and a well-designed one can mean millions of dollars in misinterpreted decisions. By applying an end-to-end workflow, analytics teams transform data into clarity, trust, and action.