I’ve been designing professionally for nearly seven years. I’m constantly finding new tools and resources that help increase my productivity and enhance my workflow. Being introduced to new tools and resources has always been a game-changer regarding the quality of my work. There are tools that I wish I had been introduced to earlier in my career, so my goal is to help any aspiring designers that may be looking to upgrade their current creative loadout. Here are some tools and resources that I always recommend to designers that are just getting started in their careers:
Adobe XD was launched in early 2016. Initially, the program lacked some significant features, but Adobe finally developed a tool geared toward UI designers. It was their answer to Sketch—a program to design and prototype mockups for websites, apps, and more. What I love most about Adobe XD is that it works seamlessly with other Adobe products. Since most designers have a Creative Cloud license, XD is available in Adobe’s extensive software catalog. What’s excellent about XD is that you can design and prototype mockups for websites and create digital artwork with the software. Need to make some display ads? You can use XD. Need to design a post for Instagram? You can use XD. The best part is how light the program feels compared to other Adobe products.
For years I built websites in WordPress. I don’t have any problems with WordPress, but it feels so heavy sometimes. Many websites built in WordPress do not need to be built on such a powerful CMS. It does the trick, but there are times when it is frustrating to use. I discovered webflow a couple years back, and it changed everything. I finally had a CMS that felt made with my workflow in mind. What’s excellent about webflow is that it’s no-code—but not your standard site builder such as SquareSpace or Wix, which are tailored toward users with little to no web experience. It would be best if you still had a general idea of how a website is built to use it. If you don’t, you can quickly learn because webflow offers free tutorial videos on their website. I have a general understanding of HTML and CSS. I took multiple classes and worked in an agency building websites using what I learned. When I found webflow, it blended everything I loved about UI design and web development. While developing sites in webflow, it feels like I’m designing in Adobe XD. webflow is constantly rolling out new features, and I am confident it will be the future of website design.
When I first started designing professionally, I loved the process of creating custom icons for my clients. There was something therapeutic about sitting down and knocking out a custom icon set. Once my career took off, and I had to juggle numerous projects simultaneously, creating custom icons became tedious. It was becoming clear that there was a time and place for custom icon design. In comes Font Awesome. Instead of having to create icons for common UI elements, I now have an extensive library of over 20,000 icons at my fingertips. Using Font Awesome has saved me hours on projects over the years. Many icon libraries exist, but Font Awesome is my #1 choice.
Nothing elevates a good design like good photography. The problem I had for years was that I had to pay for anything worth using in my designs. Sure, I would occasionally strike gold and find something royalty-free worth using, but anything else I had to purchase or photograph. So when I was introduced to Unsplash, I was blown away. Finally, I suddenly had a library of beautiful photography I could use in my design work. To this day, Unsplash is my go-to for photography for most of my projects.
When it comes to project management software, monday.com has it all. The ability to customize the software enables you to create the perfect project management system for your needs. What I love the most about monday.com is how visual it is. As a UI designer, I’m drawn to visuals. Being able to color code statuses, customize columns, and create groups of items allows me to understand where my projects and tasks are at a glance. monday.com is perfect for teams of all sizes. It’s an excellent solution for large companies with many projects and departments, but it also is great for freelancers who want to keep track of their day-to-day.
Whenever I have creative block. I have a couple of resources I check out for inspiration. At the top of my list is Awwwards. The websites showcased on Awwwards are some of the most spectacular and creative projects I’ve ever seen. It is the perfect resource to keep up with the latest web trends. If you need inspiration, I recommend browsing some featured sites. I always leave the site with numerous ideas I would like to implement in sites I’m working on.
I’ve always been a big checklist guy. At the start of each day, I create a to-do list. This list includes tasks I need to get done for work and things I need to do in my personal life. When I found Todoist, my organization increased tenfold. Instead of jotting down a list of things I needed to do on a scrap of paper daily, I now had an app on my phone and laptop. As a result, all of my tasks sync between my devices, and I rarely forget to get anything done. I love organization, and Todoist allows you to categorize tasks and add priority levels. You can also set up recurring tasks—which come in handy when you have monthly bills.
There are hundreds of great tools out there. Some are equal to or even better than what is listed above. But at the end of the day, the best tools are the ones that best fit your needs. Hopefully, this list introduced you to something that can help you.
