Let's start...
The continuous growth of the demand for UI/UX designers is very attractive. One of the essential skills to get on board is getting to know the tools. The ecosystem of design tools, used by the leading design professionals, has been undergoing significant development in order to meet this demand.
The rapid growth of the market is closely tied to the increase of the demand for all IT services in general, as well as the need for efficient web interface designs and mobile applications, which have to be tested before the final release.
First, discuss two very important tools which are not on the list...
Well, some might say that Google isn’t exactly a tool, but without Google, we would be still in the dark ages. Any doubt, any question can be solved with Google. Unless it’s the case in which you are an exceptional wonder and at the very top of the field.
Pen and Paper
Maybe this one is obvious, but it’s maybe the best wireframing tool and not only that. I suggest everyone use them more often. Besides rough sketches there are card sortings, gathering ideas, and problems, writing some notes. Especially when your wireframe looks nice in your paper, your client will become happier :)
Design Process and the Tools
It might be a good idea to discuss modern tools in the context of the UI design process itself. UI design professionals have recently become capable of interacting with the process through the use of not only their basic skills and professional knowledge, but also UX design, prototyping, as well as general professional versatility, and soft skills. Leading designers have to deal with a lot of expectations.
Taking a look at the process, we may differentiate between creating less complex prototypes (low-fidelity, wireframes), detailed UI design, and prototyping.
Tools for Initial Design Stages
The early stages of design are called prototyping and wireframe design, meaning the creation of sketches of little detail, which visually communicate the main purpose of the project, the idea behind it, and clarify the flow — to, the way the user will interact with it.
InVision Studio
It is a bundle of 4 great tools that are very useful for UI/UX designers.
- Prototyping is not just a great tool with cool interaction animations.
- The Inspect is for CSS handoff to developers.
- The freehand tool helps with wireframing, whiteboard interviews, sitemaps, and generally, it acts as a pen and paper on your computer with many useful templates already there.
- The craft tool is basically a UI design tool.
Also, it works great with Sketch.
Proto.io
It is a prototyping tool that helps designers to create real-looking hi-fi prototypes. Proto.io has an upper hand when it comes to creating extremely precise iOS and Android prototypes. It also boasts feedback collecting features and prototype testing capabilities.
Marvel
It is another tool that helps you create from lo-fi to hi-fi prototypes, Wireframes as well as CSS and HTML handoff. Another prototype tool that with its great interactions makes it look like the final product.
UI Design Tools
Figma
The fact that Sketch is such an outstanding tool does not mean it is utterly without competition. Figma is a native/web application, although the latter will definitely convince you of its quality easier. You can use it everywhere, on every platform, even on slower devices, and all the extra options including real-time project cooperation make Figma a possible contender for the crown wielded by Sketch.
Another one of the pros of Figma is that CSS is already there and you don’t have to use a third tool such as Zeplin or Invision Studio’s Inspect to hand off. By the way — Figma is always improving, they recently even added scrolling animation to its prototype.
Adobe XD
XD is a go tool when you are working at a fast pace. It’s the tool that solves problems in a shorter time, but it has almost the same problems that Sketch has (except that Sketch is Mac only, and XD is available on both Windows and Mac), also there is no inner Shadow in XD :(
Sketch
I don't have a lot of knowledge about this tool, as this tool is a MAC exclusive. But that is the only fault of the application. According to other designers this is currently the best interface designing tool out there.
Prototyping and micro-interaction Tools
According to me, you can do prototyping in Figma and xd easily...but for advanced level works, I will go for this tool -
Principle
The feature of importing projects from Sketch makes both tools a great working combo. Principle can be used to animate imported layers and groups. Additionally, you might want to make use of the drawers, which form connections between animations and allow the creation of detailed micro-interactions. Sometimes the application works in an overly complicated way, though. Especially when compared to the next position on the list.
Comparison of tools, prices, platforms
Initially, I had planned to show you a comparison of prices, operating systems, and pros and cons, but fortunately, uxtools did it for me. Take a look at the comparison on uxtools.co
Stay up to date!
UI/UX tools are undergoing changes as we speak. It is advisable to follow the projects like Subform but pay attention to Google projects.
And requesting all of you to use paid and secure software instead of pirated software. It may disturb your project security and the device also.
There are many more tools that UI/UX designers need to know, I mentioned only a few of them. And with every second, some new tool appears that can become the Next Best Thing Since Sliced Bread.
If you know of any other tools for UI/UX, please comment below :)