Using Figma for Shape Up
Browser-based with no installation required — runs on any OS and enables instant sharing via URL, removing friction for cross-functional collaboration with PMs, engineers, and stakeholders. When combined with Shape Up, this makes Figma a strong candidate for teams who want a structured, repeatable workflow without sacrificing flexibility. Shape Up works best in Figma when you leverage its core workflow features to implement the framework's key practices directly in the tool your team already lives in.
Shape Up (Basecamp's methodology) works in 6-week cycles with fully shaped pitches — no backlogs, no sprints, no estimates. Teams get the full cycle to solve a problem however they see fit.
How to set up Shape Up in Figma
Set up your shaping workspace
Create a dedicated "Shaping" space in Figma separate from delivery. Use status labels: Raw Idea, Being Shaped, Ready for Betting, Accepted. Only PMs and shapers have write access to this space during the shaping phase.
Create pitch documents within the tool
Create a naming convention for pitch cards in Figma: "[Pitch] <Name> — Appetite: 6w/2w/1w". Include the pitch content in the card description or linked document. Keep all pitches in one list for the betting table.
Configure 6-week cycle projects
For each cycle, create a project in Figma with a hard end date 6 weeks away. Use a list view for tasks. Teams generate their own tasks from the pitch; the PM does not create the task list. No backlog, no sprint planning — only the pitch scope.
Manage the hill chart (progress) and cooldown
Update a sticky note or shared doc weekly with hill chart status. At the end of 6 weeks, archive the cycle project. Create a cooldown project for the 2-week break and let teams self-organise what goes there.
Which Figma features matter for Shape Up
Figma has 0 of 2 core Shape Up features natively.