Beyond UX: Prototyping Automated Compliance Review in Figma
Proof of Concept | Design Tooling | Compliance
Role: UX Manager
Team: Engineering, Legal, Stakeholders
Timeline: October 2026 to present | POC complete, feasibility discussions in progress
Deliverables: Feasibility research, working Figma plugin proof of concept
The challenge
Clients needed a faster way to check their design files for compliance and act on what they found. I was asked to explore a proof of concept for a Chrome extension that could browse active Figma files and review them for compliance.
My role and approach
I owned the proof of concept from start to finish: researching what was technically possible, testing the original idea, and building a working alternative when the first approach fell short.
Process
1. Testing the original idea
I researched whether a Chrome extension could browse active Figma files and meet what the use case required. The research showed it couldn’t. The approach didn’t support what we needed.
2. Changing direction
Rather than stopping at “not possible,” I looked for another way to deliver the same outcome. That led me to Figma’s plugin environment, where the capabilities we needed were available.
3. Building the proof of concept
I created a Figma plugin that completes the task: it reviews a file for compliance directly where designers are already working. Clients can quickly analyze their files and implement changes without leaving their editing environment.
The solution
The plugin brings compliance review into the file itself. Instead of checking work in a separate step, clients see what needs attention and make changes in place.
Where it stands
Proof of concept complete and working
Chrome extension approach ruled out through research
Active discussions with legal and engineering to assess feasibility
Reflection
A “no” from research is still a result. Finding out early that the original approach wouldn’t work let me redirect toward one that did, and the plugin delivers the outcome the extension was meant to. The next step is making sure it’s something we can responsibly build and offer.
Last updated: November 2026
