A Few Rudiments About UI Design Tools
Graphic designers believe software is only the means to achieving the end. Hence, they may skirt the nitty-gritty of learning new tools. While this is true to some extent, new technologies can do wonders to their performance!
Modern tools help in delivering perfect results. It might be possible to drive a nail into the wall using any sturdy object, but using a hammer will give you a better grip, confidence, and results. Agree? It helps to keep an open mind. Task-specific advanced software makes it easy to meet the complex and evolving needs of the profession.
When it comes to User Experience Design, the tools can be classified into three categories:
· DESIGN TOOLS
· PROTOTYPING TOOL
· AUXILIARY TOOLS
Let’s talk about the first category — the design tools:
· Sketch
· Figma
· Adobe XD, and Invision Studio.
You might want to start using Figma. It is a free tool for individuals. It runs on Mac and Windows PC. What’s best about this tool is that it has a collaborative interface. You can work with your team on the same project. It also offers a few prototyping features. With Work From Home being the preferred mode of functioning, using Figma is highly recommended.
Post designing, you need to implement prototyping tools to check the flow, rhythm, and speed of the project. A few advanced prototyping tools available for UX designers are:
· PRINCIPLE
· PROTOPIE
· FRAMER, AND ORIGAMI.
The advantage of using these tools lies in creating prototypes that feel and function like real. What’s more, the UI/ UX design software does not require designers to learn to code. Life-like prototyping is the advantage designers find too good to resist.
Software specifically designed for UI/UX makes it easy to use hardware capabilities of smartphones such as camera, sensor, and tilt to create prototypes that resemble an original app.
A few commonly used auxiliary tools are:
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Blender. These are excellent for executing details.
· For high-end illustration, try your hand in Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw.
· For image manipulation, Photoshop has little competition.
· Make near-perfect 3d-models using either Cinema 4D or Blender.
· For animation, use After Effects.
