Figma · Execution · Mid · 45 to 60 minutes

How should Figma rally support for a new bet?

Figma is a collaborative design and digital product creation platform used by teams to design, prototype, and work together online. Answer this product management case and get it graded line by line against a weighted rubric.

stakeholder management
product judgment
influence without authority
communication
execution planning

The situation

A product leader at Figma asks you to take over a promising hackathon prototype that sits near Figma's core creation workflow but is not on the committed roadmap. Early reactions inside the company are split. Some people who have seen the prototype think it could unlock a bigger product bet, while others worry it is vague, overlaps with current priorities, or will create distraction before there is enough evidence. Assume you have one quarter to figure out how to turn this from an interesting side project into a serious internal decision, or recommend stopping it. You do not yet have a staffed team, formal executive backing, or strong external proof. The hard part is not just product quality. It is getting enough shared understanding across design, engineering, leadership, and go to market partners so the idea is discussed clearly, judged fairly, and either gains support or is shut down for good reasons. Your manager wants a practical plan for how you would package the idea, build internal momentum, and create a decision process that does not depend on hype or politics.

What to produce

Write a 1 to 2 page internal product memo.

Your answer must

Define the decision you are trying to enable by the end of the quarter, and the specific outcome your plan should produce.
Identify at least 3 internal stakeholder groups, their likely concerns, and how you would address each one.
Propose how you would package the concept so people can discuss it consistently, including a working name or naming principles and the core message behind it.
Describe a demo and communication plan, including who should see what, in what order, and why.
Set clear milestones and signals for invest more, pause, or stop, with both qualitative and operational evidence.
Name the top risks in your approach and how you would reduce them.

Constraints

There is no approved roadmap slot or dedicated team yet.
You cannot rely on a public launch or strong customer usage data because the concept is still pre validation.
Your plan must work within one quarter and mostly use existing cross functional bandwidth.
You need to build support without undermining teams already committed to current priorities.

Format

Use short headings, bullets, and one simple table for stakeholders or milestones.

How Figma actually played it

The founding PM explains how a hackathon project became a major launch through naming, advocacy and building internal momentum. Useful for PMs pushing a new bet in a large company.

Name your idea to make it travel
Build internal allies with demos

Built from How to Make Your Product Idea Go Viral Inside Your Company: Lessons from Figma Slides by First Round Review.