Top 10 Best Designing Tools for UX Designers

Every Company, which is into Information Technology and Software Development, will know about UX Design. Every single product, irrespective of wherever it is used, is designed with only one objective and that is User Experience. However, to achieve this objective, every developer must be aware about the different types of design tools and wireframe tools, which help them in delivering the ultimate UX Design.

In order to achieve a great UX design, which can help in making any web or mobile app, easy to use and result in complete customer satisfaction, it is important have a smooth development process. This can be achieved by using the best development tools available.

With lot of focus laid by companies on UX Design, there are many tools which have flooded the market, to support UX Designers. However amongst all these, these top 10 UX design tools continue to generate an excellent user experience.

Top 10 Designing Tools for UX Designers

Adobe XD

One of the very popular design tools to be used is Adobe XD which is designed by Adobe Inc. With a view to offer an excellent user experience, Adobe XD supports Vector Designing. This is done by software programs that make use of mathematic equations and early geometric introductions like points, lines and shapes, to develop a clean art. In addition, Adobe XD also supports website wire framing, which is a process to develop a mock website, before the actual website.

Year 2018 was very good for Adobe XD. Its exciting features, revolving around Prototype building and flexibility was hugely successful. Every UX Designer would like to more for sure.

• Saving time with Responsive Resize: With customers increasingly preferring fast and responsive websites, there is a need to focus on how this can be achieved by saving time and maintaining quality. The existing practice of following a manual process is very time consuming. Responsive Resize is an attractive XD feature which has been quite successful in saving a lot of development time, especially when it was needed to develop different versions of the website, and find out if it is compatible to work across all platforms and devices.
• Full Screen viewing of wireframes and Designs: This new feature from Adobe XD made a big difference to user experiences. Prototype wireframes could now be easily shared with customers with a facility to be viewed in full screen is a huge plus point. With this new facility, the earlier activity for developers, to choose the screen size and width, based on which they had to arrange their wireframes before sharing, was not required.
• The Auto-Animate Feature: The Auto-Animate feature is extremely useful, especially when creating prototypes of websites. With animations playing a big role in giving an artistic look to any website, the Auto-Animate feature actually to prevent errors of mistakes which could surface in the design. In other words, combining the prototype design with the Auto-Animate feature gives you an opportunity to explore a strong design and path which can help you achieve that objective.
• The Art of Voice Prototyping: This was another excellent feature of Adobe XD. Voice prototyping is a significant step to take user experience to the next level by demonstrating your prototypes with a voice prompt. This unique feature now helps the designers to select different prompts and commands for device interaction. This saves a lot of time.

Benefits of Adobe XD

As attractive are the features of Adobe XD, so are its benefits as given below

• Much more economical as compared to Photoshop
• Works excellently on cloud
• The ability to demonstrate prototypes of websites at a particular project stage is extremely good to win the confidence of customers.
• Smart guides and grids allow for efficient operations
• Designing and Navigating through Adobe XD designs is much faster.

Being one of the most reliable UX design applications tool, used to build a variety of prototypes, Adobe XD is easy to use and is free to install. The fact that Adobe XD can be used on Windows and Mac platforms easily makes it even more interesting to learn how to use it and how it different from other designing tools.

Invision Studio

Invison Studio is another phenomenal tool which is a perfect combination of design, prototyping and collaboration, resulting in a flawless design process. The Invision Studio was launched in the year 2018, by the company named “Invison”, mainly with an objective to have an easy prototype building process. Invision Studio comes in with very useful features which make it one of the preferred choices for UX Designers.

• Faster web page creation: The introduction of the vector drawing tool within Invision Studio, helps in creating a website at a quick pace, thereby saving lots of time during the design process. With Invision Studio, designers can look at lot more options to develop customized web applications
• Cross Platform Responsive Development: Cross Platform Application Development is the preference of most of the customers today. In other words, applications capable of running across different devices which include desktops or smartphones are desired. With the Invision Studio, Designers can now think of creating applications, suiting various screen sizes of different electronic devices. This scalable feature of Invision Studio has been an instant hit amongst Designers and Users.
• Quick Prototype creation: With the prototyping feature being preferred by many customers as it gives them the latest status of their project, Invision Studio is one of the best options, for designers to look at something easy to develop and share. With inclusive facilities like drag drop sharing and instant playback setting, customers can now take a look at various versions and analyse the changes.
• Cloud Flexibility: Today’s Software Development Projects revolve extensively around cloud compatibility. Invision Studio comprehensively supports the cloud platform. This is perfect for development teams who have professionals working with them in every corner of the world. Invision Studio helps in sharing any critical project related data which includes coding and design components, with other members of the team, irrespective to whichever part of the world, they work from. This is a good option to keep the entire project team interested and involved.
• Easy to interlink with other applications: As a part of their project requirement, most of the customers would not like their existing applications set up to be displaced or disturbed. With InVision Studio, there is an opportunity to stay connected with the rest of the Invision Platform and collaborate easily with the team, you want to continuously stay in touch with.

Benefits of Invision studio

Invision Studio is more than just an ordinary design tool. It comes in with a host of benefits;

• Allows the designer to present the prototypes in the most professional way which could lead to quick approvals from the customer.
• Allows the designer to control his design, thereby allowing the customer to get an actual website viewing experience, though the designer would have shared only a prototype version
• Makes a designers and customers life very easy with attractive facilities that include an opportunity to receive the customer’s feedback on the development. Generates a list of activities which can be a ready reckoned for the designers.
• Designers can easily access the earlier designs as Invision keeps a record of all past screens
• With a new introduction in Live Share, designers can now share your thoughts in real time and chat with your project team.

Being one of the most complete and sought after UX design applications tool, used to build a variety of prototypes, Invision Studio is easy to use and is free to install, for a single prototype. However subscriptions for minimum or 3 prototypes are priced at $ 15 a month.

Sketch

A very interesting tool for UX/UI Designers, which is specifically used for designing UX/UI for Mobile and Web Apps, is Sketch. Developed by Dutch Company by name Bohemian and released in the year 2010, Sketch is designed only for use on the MAC Operating systems.Primarily used for creating mobile apps, Sketch stores all its files, under its own .Sketch format. Sketch is not short of attractive features to attract Designers by huge numbers. Here are some of them.

• Resizing and Prototyping Options: Sketch has very good resizing options, which over the years have been enhanced, depending upon the size of the application. In addition to Resizing, Sketch has added Prototyping to its list of features which helps designers to transform their designs into interactive prototypes and play them back as and when required. This can be done on Cloud.
• New Design Features: New Libraries released have allowed designers to explore fresh possibilities in improving design systems. However, the complete potential of the new Libraries could be better experienced, if there was a facility to share them with the entire project team. To address this issue, Shared Libraries were introduced on Sketch Cloud, which allowed a designer to share his designs with his team members and receive their feedback and comments.
• The idea behind UI Redesign and Dark Mode: The new UI Redesign saw Sketch being introduced with exciting new features like new resizing options, new layer list, improved icons in the tool bar and a new filtering mechanism. In addition to this new user interface, another useful feature was introduced in the form of “Dark Mode” which allows designers to focus only the job on hand and ignore any other distracting features.
• Performance Improvement through Designing with Data: This new feature of Sketch allowed UX Designers to include more texts and images with an aim to give your design, a more creative look. Any process related changes like resizing of data or manipulating layers in large documents were simplified with the new performance improvement based features.

Benefits of Sketch

Designed for Mac OS, Sketch comes in with a host of advantages that makes it a designer’s best friend.

• Sketch is very fast and quickly tries to address every designer requirement.
• A Simple tool which helps designers creates innovative designs which interact easily with co-existing applications.
• Creating and editing symbols is easy with Sketch which allows the designer to move on with the project at a fast pace.
• The Resizing feature in Sketch is of huge advantage especially while working with projects involving multiple decisions.
• Facility to add regular performance improving Plugins is the best thing to happen in Sketch.

Being one of the most sophisticated and sought after UX design applications tool, used to build a variety of prototypes, A Sketch License, including updates for a year, is priced at $ 99 USD. Designers can look at discounts based on some education based packages.

Figma

As a UX/UI designer, you would have come across many design tools and exposed to working with a few of them too. One of the popular tools amongst them is the Figma UI Design tool, which is a new tool, with features almost similar to Sketch. Figma is the latest entrant into the family of UI design tools which supports a UX /UI designer in composing and designing interfaces at a quick pace. Figma is a cloud based tool which helps multiple users to work simultaneously on a given project.
Figma comes in with some very interesting features.

• Enterprise Collaboration: As developers, we would have seen how Google Docs works. Figma offers similar features. If in case a team of UX designers are involved in a particular project, then they can now collectively view and edit files, as it is done in Google Docs. The new Enterprise Collaboration feature allows every user in the team to be identified by a cursor with his name being highlighted. The main aim behind introducing this feature is to maintain a balance in the design process, across a team of designers and ensure that there are no deviations. The design head monitors the entire process in this case.
• Strong Communication: This is an asset as it helps in maintaining a healthy communication across the team. Feedbacks from within the team members is always a crucial factor for a strong design, especially when designing live, and hence this with this exciting new UI tool, you can consolidate feedbacks received from important members of your team, and guiding UX Designers through the concepts behind your work with the help of “presentation” mode. Another interesting facility is the Slack Channel facility where designers can set up alerts on “Slack” or email, when changes are made too.
• Prototyping: This UI Design tool being browser based makes collaboration amongst project team members, quick and easy. With a web-based solution, you can continue to use the same tool regardless of whether you’re designing, creating a prototype or communicating with other team members. Figma as a UI Design tool also facilitates version control and audits the development process instantly for the designers to keep a track of the progress of the project.
• Inflict Instant Changes to Design Thoughts: Figma is a fast and powerful UI design tool. It allows instant edits and transfer edited data through the comforts of your mobile too. For instance, you can tap into vector networks that give you new access to drag-and-drop development options or use 60 FPS interactive editing with beautiful previews and simple exports.
• Designed for the Digital Revolution: Keeping in tune with today’s digital world, Figma helps in creating simple user interfaces. Aimed at creating a better User experience, UX designers can look forward to a robust UI development tool with all facilities to design responsive system which can adapt to various screen sizes. All the tools you need for dynamic product creation are in one place.

Benefits of Figma

Though Figma is a cloud based UI Design tool with features similar to Sketch, it still is more effective than the other UI tools. These benefits prove why.

• Figma runs on any operating platform that runs on a web browser. It can work on Mac, Windows or Linux.
• Being a browser based tool, Figma allows for a better collaboration within teams. A Design Manager can view the project developments in real time with Figma. Creating and editing symbols is easy with Sketch which allows the designer to move on with the project at a fast pace.
• Figma uses ‘Slack’ as a communication channel as Figma files get updated at every instance, in real time during development.
• Figma is an excellent tool which allows the Designer to get the best review and feedback on Designs, in a more professional manner.

Figma offers a free plan, as well as two separate subscription plan. The yearly professional plan is priced at $ 12 per month while as an organization, Figma can be availed at $ 45 per month.

Balsamiq

The Balsamiq image tool was launched in the year 2008 by Balsamiq Studios. Being a web based tool and working as a GUI for building mockups and wireframe wireframes, Balasmiq is available as a desktop version or as a plugin which can used with Google Drive. UI Designers have found the features of Balsamiq, extremely user friendly, as compared to some of the other tools in the vicinity.

• Simple to use and optimized for speed: From a design perspective, Balsamiq is a useful tool which allows a designer to trim the User Interface into different frames which allows the user to get the feel of the applied design component on the page.
• Quick Wireframing and mockup: Balsamiq is a sophisticated tool which facilitates quick wireframing and mockup designing. Another important feature of Balsamiq is its drag drop feature which makes it a designer’s delight. It is a more preferred to present wireframes and mockups quickly to the client to enable him to take a quick decision.
• Light and Efficient Tool: Balsamiq is a light tool which efficiently handles wireframes and prototype development efficiently. The drag drop facility in this tool has been very helpful for users to create and present excellent prototypes. In addition Balsamiq as a useful tool helps in a quick prototype user test too, before it is shared for customer analysis.
• Export to PNG or PDF: The Balsamiq wireframe tool supports multiple formats. Designers can now share their designs on the web via interactive PDF files or as images as PNG format.

Benefits of Balsamiq

Balsamiq comes with some real good advantages which helps designers in creating a classic UX design.

• Creates mockups and wireframes at extremely quick pace
• Supports wireframe designs and ideas to colleagues and clients
• Supports easy edits, modifications and quick changes.
• Generates equal amount of interest in non-technical users too with its impressive performance.

Balsamiq offers a free trial, one time licence or subscription plan, starting at $12 per month

Axure

When it comes to web development, wireframing and mocking, form a part of the basic requirements. Certain kinds of wireframes are created at the beginning of almost every project. You can make them either on paper or with the use of dedicated programs. Many Designer tools have hit the market. The prominently used amongst them has been Axure, which is quite popular amongst designers and users alike.

Axure had many earlier versions. The latest version introduced is Axure 8, which comes out with few additional features, compared to some of its earlier versions.

• Improved Layout: The new version of Axure comes in with a completely modified layout with major changes in the main tool bar, right hand side panels and library panels. The main tool bar is more prominent and legible while the library panel comes in with many built in icons, which saves the designer, the additional work of creating his own icons.
• Comes with an improved styling feature: The newer version of Axure comes in with an improved styling feature which makes life easy for the designers while creating wireframes as there is no need for an external graphics editor.
• Stronger Interactions options: Interactions are extremely useful, especially when it comes to develop advanced websites. The new version of Axure addresses some additional requirements to a great extent by adding some more value to Interactions like rotate action, flipped animations and group objects.
• Snap shot widget: The snap shot widget is a useful facility which helps the UX designers to enclose the preview of a page on another page. In other words, any changes made in a reference item will be reflected in the snap shot as well.

Benefits of Axure

Axure comes with some attractive which helps designers in creating a classic UX design.

• Prototypes generated can be password controlled
• With Axure, Designers can enjoy control over the previous versions.
• Use conditional logic, dynamic content, animations, drag and drop and calculations.
• The prototypes generated can be viewed either on a Firefox or chrome browser.

Independent professionals can subscribe the Axure tool at $ 29 per month while companies can avail the facility at $ 99 per month.

ProtoPie

While developing prototypes, with bare minimum coding or practically no coding at all, Designers look at ProtoPie, a prototyping tool for smart devices, as the best option. However, the protoptypes developed using ProtoPie, can be tested on actual devices. ProtoPie is not short of exciting new features which designers will love to explore.

• Code Free Prototyping: One of the major attractions of this tool is that designers can construct large interactions and animations as well as build prototypes supported by sensors. All this, without actually having to write a single line of code! This is very special.
• Quality Prototyping: ProtoPie is a very special tool. A Designer need not have any prior knowledge of ProtoPie coding, in order to develop high quality prototypes. His present knowledge of any other tool can help him write codes in ProtoPie as well.
• Sensor Control facility: Sensors of smart devices, such as Tilt, Compass and 3D sensors can be effectively controlled well within the prototype.
• Bridge Mechanism: This is unique facility which comes in with the ProtoPie tool. Building a bridge between two or more smart devices so designers can facilitate continuous interactions between them is now a reality.

Benefits of ProtoPie

As attractive is ProtoPie as a top quality UX Design tool, so are its advantages.

• Learning cost for ProtoPie is quite low as it features a user interface similar to that of other graphics tools.
• As such, users with designing experience on other graphic tools can easily get accustomed.
• With ProtoPie, Designers can create prototypes without writing any single code.
• ProtoPie promotes multi finger gestures and sensor support.
• Allows designers to test prototypes on multiple devices at the same time.

ProtoPie Licence is available for a period of one year with all the latest updates for $ 99 USD

Marvel

Marvel is an excellent Designer tool which enables quick and innovative designs of wireframes and prototypes. Most of the widely used digital products have been built around Marvel. Designers can also expect quick feedback on their designs with a centralized feedback facility which accompanies the marvel tool. The Marvel Design tool comes in with some very handy advances features as explained below;

• Optimum user controlled design facility: Marvel allows creating wireframes, websites and apps from any given device, right from the browser. Designer can rest the complete control of these designs with himself as well as sync his designs with other development tools like Sketch or Photshop.
• Innovative and Interactive Presentation: With Marvel, Designers can present their prototypes in real time. These are interactive prototypes, built with no coding. Marvel generates the ultimate UX design experience.
• Extensive team Collaboration: Team bonding within a project is an excellent quality associated with Marvel. The entire team can have a full visibility of the project and can contribute their thoughts on development and feedback, as development process moves on.

Benefits of Marvel

As attractive is Marvel as a top quality UX Design tool, so are its advantages.

• Marvel is an easy to use tool which facilitates inclusion as a plugin facility to Sketch and Photoshop
• Easy to Learn and generates ultimate user experience
• Supports interlinking of images as one of its great features.
• URL’s of designs built in Marvel can be shared across team members in the most efficient and professional manner.
• Allows designers to test prototypes on multiple devices at the same time.

PhotoShop

Every Graphic Designer or UX Designer would have heard about Photoshop. Photoshop is the flagship project of Adobe which redefined the way images can be created or edited. Over the years, Photoshop has gone through significant changes and so have its attractive features;

• The Adobe Creative Cloud feature: With respect to Photoshop, this is a fantastic feature. The Adobe Creative Cloud Feature helps a designer to view his work from any place, at any point of time, irrespective of whether he has carried his own laptop or mobile. By storing his activities in Adobe Cloud, the designer can access his files from any other device.
• The Smart Objects Advantage: Smart objects are one of the sensational features of Photoshop which helps in remembering all the changes which have been incorporated in the design by preserving those changes. The original image data can be brought back to its original size after resizing it by using the Smart Objects feature.
• The Photoshop 3D Advantage: Adobe Photoshop is known for its quick adaptability with the changing technologies. The Photoshop 3D feature helps designers to directly import the 3 Dimensional objects into Photoshop through the cloud program and draw the textures directly on the Photoshop forum.
• The excitement behind Retouching Tools: Retouching tools have gained significant importance in graphic designing and photography. This contribution from Photoshop has reduced manual activities to a large extent and enabled application designing at a rather rapid pace with just few clicks. Retouching tools have proved to be a huge success and are sought after when it comes to image processing.

Benefits of Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is an instant hit with all designers and has few competitors. Thanks to the advantages which accompany this famous tool.

• With Photoshop, it is easy to make small edits.
• Photoshop is a tutor by itself which helps designers improves their editing skills.
• Photoshop is known to give an attractive look and take substandard images to the next level.

The Adobe Photoshop CC can be subscribed for $ 10 USD per month.

illustrator

In line with the Adobe Photoshop, is Illustrator which has unique features which are well known to Designers. Illustrator, like Photoshop has gone through various changes and some new attractive features have been added.

• The Freedom Gradient Advantage: This new feature from AdobeIllustrator allows the designers to freely work with gradients and enhance their appearance with colour blending capabilities. This makes the gradients look more natural than before.
• The Global Editing Advantage: When it comes to editing similar objects instantly, the Global edit option is of significant advantage. For e.g. in any given design, there could be multiple spots where an object can be placed, like logos for instance. This is where global edit comes in as a very handy option which saves time and improves quality of edits.
• Improved Presentation: Designers can now an existing Illustrator documentin a full-screen presentation mode. This mode hides some elements like application menu, guides, panels and grids. The improved presentation concept allows the designer to view and browse through his design using arrow keys.

Benefits of Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is one of the finest design tools. The advantages of this tool are many.

• Provides a helpful user interface
• Allows panel editing
• Illustrator works on any given computer system
• Illustrator is scalable and can be easily upgraded
• Creates print as well as web graphics
• Generates files in sizes which are not too large

The Adobe Illustrator can be subscribed for $ 9.99 USD per month.

Wrappping Up

Now that you have understood, the best UX Design tools in use, it would excite us more to know where to hire UX Designers, to help you build designs by making maximum use of any of the above tools.