The field of User Experience (UX) design is booming as industries worldwide recognize the importance of creating engaging, functional, and user-friendly products. For new UX designers, mastering the tools of the trade is as crucial as understanding the theory behind good design. While popular tools like Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma often dominate the conversation, several underrated tools can significantly enhance the capabilities of a budding designer. This essay explores five such tools, shedding light on their features, benefits, and why they should be a part of every new designer’s toolkit.
1. Axure RP
While Axure RP might not grab headlines like some of its flashier counterparts, it is a powerhouse for prototyping and wireframing. What sets Axure apart is its focus on functionality that allows designers to create highly interactive and dynamic prototypes without writing a single line of code. This is particularly useful for new designers who may not yet be comfortable with programming.
Key Features:
- Dynamic Content: Axure allows the creation of dynamic content that changes depending on user interactions, which is crucial for simulating real-world applications.
- Conditional Logic: Designers can build logic into their prototypes. For example, enabling or disabling buttons based on whether form fields are filled.
- Documentation Tools: Axure also doubles as a documentation tool, allowing designers to add notes and specifications directly into their projects, which can be invaluable for handing off to development teams.
Why It’s Under-Rated:
Axure’s steep learning curve might deter some new designers. However, those who invest time in mastering it will find that it offers unparalleled control over the prototype’s behavior, making it an excellent long-term tool for serious UX professionals.
2. Balsamiq
Balsamiq is another tool that tends to fly under the radar but is perfect for designers who are just starting. It focuses on low-fidelity wireframes, helping designers to flesh out their ideas quickly and iterate on them before moving to high-fidelity designs.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-Drop Elements: Balsamiq has a wide array of UI elements that can be dragged and dropped to create designs swiftly.
- Focus on Structure: Its sketch-like interface encourages focusing more on structure and less on aesthetics, which is ideal in the early stages of design.
- Quick Learning Curve: Unlike more complex tools, Balsamiq can be learned quickly, making it great for beginners.
Why It’s Under-Rated:
Perhaps because of its simplicity, Balsamiq is often overlooked for more comprehensive tools. However, its ease of use and focus on rapid prototyping make it an excellent tool for new designers who need to quickly learn the ropes of UX design.
3. Marvel
Marvel is a versatile prototyping tool that is particularly useful for designers who want to integrate design and testing seamlessly. It allows for creating interactive prototypes and directly testing them with users, which can accelerate the feedback loop and improve the design process.
Key Features:
- Design and Prototype: Users can design directly in Marvel or import designs from other tools and create interactive prototypes.
- User Testing: Marvel offers built-in user testing features, enabling designers to record user interactions and receive feedback directly within the tool.
- Handoff: It generates code snippets that can be used by developers, smoothing the transition from design to development.
Why It’s Under-Rated:
Marvel blends design, prototyping, and testing in a way that few other tools do, yet it doesn’t receive as much attention. This might be due to its jack-of-all-trades nature, but it is precisely this versatility that can be incredibly beneficial for new UX designers.
4. UXPin
UXPin stands out due to its robustness and capability to handle everything from wireframing to fully interactive prototypes that look and feel like the finished product. Its approach to design through code components makes it unique.
Key Features:
- Code Components: UXPin allows designers to use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create interactive elements, bridging the gap between design and development.
- Accessibility Features: Tools to ensure designs meet accessibility standards, crucial for creating inclusive products.
- Advanced Interactions: Designers can create complex interactions and transitions to closely simulate the final product.
Why It’s Under-Rated:
UXPin’s advanced features can be intimidating at first, but they allow for a depth of prototype fidelity that is rare in other tools. This can be a significant advantage for designers who want to create highly functional prototypes.
5. Origami Studio
Developed by Facebook, Origami Studio is designed to help designers build and test interaction and interface design. While it is powerful, it tends to be less known in the UX community.
Key Features:
- Interaction Design: Origami excels at creating detailed interactions and is used by designers at Facebook to refine user experiences.
- Integration with Sketch and Figma: Origami can integrate withdesigns from Sketch and Figma, easing the workflow for users familiar with those tools.
- Mobile Preview: Users can preview their designs on actual devices in real-time, which is crucial for mobile app design.
Why It’s Under-Rated:
Origami Studio’s niche focus on interaction design and the learning curve associated with its advanced features might deter beginners. However, for those interested in the nuances of interaction design, it offers capabilities that few other tools can match.
Conclusion
For new UX designers, the landscape of tools can be overwhelming. While it’s easy to gravitate towards the most popular options, these underrated tools offer unique functionalities that can enhance a designer’s workflow, understanding, and output significantly. Each tool mentioned here caters to different aspects of UX design:
- Axure RP is ideal for those looking to create complex, interactive prototypes.
- Balsamiq serves brilliantly for rapid, low-fidelity wireframing.
- Marvel integrates design, prototyping, and user testing in a seamless workflow.
- UXPin offers advanced capabilities with its code-based components and high-fidelity prototypes.
- Origami Studio specializes in detailed interaction design, perfect for refining the user experience.
As a new designer, experimenting with these tools can provide a broader understanding of what is possible in UX design. The choice of tools should align with your project needs, your comfort with the technology, and where you see your career heading. Remember, the best tool is the one that fits your workflow and helps bring your designs to life in the most efficient and effective way. By exploring these underrated gems, you can develop a versatile skill set that stands out in the competitive field of UX design, ready to tackle any challenge with the right tool at hand.
