When I first got into Figma, it wasn’t the learning curve that was the problem, but more so the chaos of learning resources. Even after getting comfortable with the app, my Figma and design resources were scattered all over the place. I’d spend more time digging through content than actually designing, so my workflow got stuck in this loop of searching, getting overwhelmed, then forgetting.

That changed when I paired the app with NotebookLM. Instead of passively consuming Figma content, I could drop the best stuff into NotebookLM, have it summarize the key points, and resurface them when needed. Beyond that, NotebookLM also helped me streamline my workflow with the Figma tools I was already familiar with and learn design theories much faster. So now, instead of bouncing between tabs and losing momentum, I can stay focused on the canvas. Here’s how I’ve been using the NotebookLM + Figma combo...

Summarize long YouTube tutorials

Make them more concise, or extend the context

I do like watching visual tutorials when I’m using new tools, but NotebookLM changed the way I retain and apply that knowledge. Having some text to accommodate visual learning materials works best for me, which is why I always watch with the subtitles on. However, keeping up with both video and text at the same time can make me miss some things.

Feeding NotebookLM a tutorial transcript after watching it gives me a concise text summary of all the key steps, often with extra context or clarifications that weren’t obvious in the video. Instead of pausing, rewinding, and taking messy notes, I can scan the summarized steps and have a clear roadmap for what to do next. And of course, I can also prompt it to give me an even quicker, shorter summary.

In this tutorial on prototype connections, it not only spells out the settings you need to adjust for specific actions but also elaborates on the why, and in a more organized manner than the video did. This is especially useful for tools like Figma, where workflow details can be easy to forget after watching tutorials.

Surface the best tutorials and learning materials

Extract the material you need for specific tasks

Even with summarized content, I initially wasted some time hunting down specific tutorials. Once I started feeding NotebookLM a significant number of resources in my Figma notebook, I started extracting resources.

For example, I had a little trouble getting around the Auto Layout function, so instead of finding those tutorials on YouTube or locating the summaries in NotebookLM, I simply prompted it to give me the key steps for navigating Auto Layout. This is where a bit of prompt engineering will come in handy — the more specific your request, the better it will pull and structure the information you need. What kind of layout and buttons are you working with? Do you need them to flow horizontally or vertically? And which properties are you having the most trouble adjusting to? These are the details to include in such a prompt.

Optimizing learning processes this way is exactly what NotebookLM was designed for, so this is where I’ve been getting the most mileage out of the tool when it comes to designing in Figma.

Create design challenges

And get feedback once they're complete

One of the ways I’ve been leveling up in Figma is by turning learning into practice — this is the case for any tool you use. NotebookLM makes it easy to set up design challenges and exercises for myself. There are loads of sites out there with UX/UI design challenges, but they’re not very personalized. With a bot, you can feed it anything you want to tailor the outcome.

For example, my understanding of color theory is still at the beginner level (clearly so), and this is one area where I need more practice. I’ve already fed NotebookLM a significant number of color theory resources, including a list of hex codes and their color names, so I figured it could give me a color challenge. The cool thing is, once I’ve created my color system in Figma, I can copy the hex codes back into NotebookLM, detail the project I used them for (like a meditation app), and get some feedback.

Speed up plugin discovery

Stop wasting time looking for the right plugin

This was one of the more unexpected uses I got out of NotebookLM. I realized I could feed it blogs and forums discussing Figma plugins to help me find the best ones I need for specific scenarios. Browsing the plugin library of any design tool makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop — I want to try all of them, which is a big waste of time. By feeding NotebookLM a bunch of plugin information, it helped me settle on the best options much quicker. For example, within seconds, it pulled Flaticon, Iconscout, Icons8 as the top recommendations for creating simple icons in Figma.

NotebookLM is like my secret little design tutor

It’s not like NotebookLM turned me into a Figma master overnight, but it did improve how I approach design. Having my scattered tutorials and resources pulled into one guided space makes the process less chaotic and more intentional. Even if you’re not a Figma user, I suggest trying this with any other creative app you use on the regular.