You’re starting a new product design project. What software do you need to make it a success?

I have a one-word answer, but let me elaborate. Tools are a designer's magic wand, yet it's the wizard, not the wand, that truly makes the magic. I can't solely attribute a designer's success to software because implies that software may come and go, but you, as a designer, will endure. My one-word answer is Figma. You can Figjam your brainstorming sessions, craft interfaces, prototype, animate, and illustrate. The best part is its collaborative nature. But here's the secret sauce beyond software — ask questions. A lot of them. Even when you think you know it all, dive deeper. In short, know in-and-out of your project. And there is an underrated 'software' to do all these, absolutely free — your Brain! ??

Figma, Fig Jam, Notion, Google Meet, Maze, and Typeform—a powerful toolkit for collaboration. These tools are more than enough to get started.

FigJam, Miro for whiteboarding, brainstorming, conducting workshops. Typeform, Google Form, Survey Monkey for user surveys. ChatGPT for discovery and some insights (especially subjects where you have zero knowledge).

Absolutely, user-centric design begins with thorough research. Tools like Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, iro, or Dovetail can efficiently gather and analyze crucial data for informed decision-making.

Google Docs and Miro is all you need to kick-off your research. At Miro, we drafted the interview guides in Google Doc and put our collective findings in a Miro board.

Pen & paper is the best tool out there, if you have a tablet or a touch screen device you can use sketching software like pro-create, sketchbook.

The most prominent sketching software options are: Adobe Photoshop: Highly versatile and widely used by professionals, offering powerful tools for detailed work. Procreate: Extremely popular among iPad users, known for its intuitive interface and extensive brush library. Autodesk SketchBook: User-friendly and suitable for artists of all levels, with a focus on drawing and sketching. Clip Studio Paint: Favoured by comic and manga artists for its excellent drawing feel and vector capabilities.

As a budding designer, I've learned that while digital tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud are great for refining and executing design ideas, there's something beautifully raw and authentic about using good ol' paper and pencil for ideation. It's where the initial sparks of creativity happen for me. Sketching out concepts on paper feels more tactile and personal, and I can explore ideas without digital constraints. Then, once I've got a rough sketch, I transition to Figma or Fig Jam, my preferred digital design tools. This hybrid approach combines the best of both worlds.

FigJam is my go-to here because this is free and I can easily show my team members or clients at no additional cost. Additionally it's easy to just copy out my sketches to figma and start designing later.

Turn research into reality with sketching software like Procreate, Sketchbook, Adobe Photoshop, or Figma. Create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes to visualize and share your product concepts effectively.

CAD gives real look to our concept and give fusibility of solution, even before are are made, I used PTC creo for last 5 years, but software depend upon kind of work you have, If your work on heavy structures Creo is best options, you can do use creo mechanism to simulate you product working

In my experience CAD brands all perform a similar function so you have to select the one that suits your needs more specifically, over the years I have used most of the brands and currently using @Onshape for its cloud based platform, integrated tools and collaboration aspects. With Onshape bring cloud based you can also access your account from anywhere with any pc do it also makes remote working a breeze. Using CAD to rapidly create or visualize your concept can often add value to understanding where you might need to focus design efforts or bring in additional resources to achieve your product goals

For designing physical products, CAD software like SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Rhino, or Blender is essential. It enables detailed modeling of shape, size, and functionality, and allows testing for performance and manufacturability.

Le premier critère : quels logiciels ma?trisent mes équipes. On peut en apprendre un autre, mais si c'est possible de ne pas, ?a fera gagner du temps. Surtout si le logiciel en question est le logiciel courant dans le domaine/chez les clients ou fournisseurs. Pour finir, il faudra s'assurer que le logiciel en question permet de réaliser l'ensemble du besoin... Restera la question du co?t important des cadors du marché.

Even early stage design sketches & mockups often involve the use of CAD software like Rhino, Grasshopper, and Cura for 3-Prints

VScode rules and has made development easier thanks to all the helpful extensions out there. I use VS code to develop my client's product and would always recommend it.

For digital products, use coding software like Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Xcode, or Android Studio. They aid in writing, editing, debugging, and running code across languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, or Swift, essential for building websites, apps, and more.

Testing software like UserTesting, Optimizely, Hotjar, or Lighthouse is crucial for assessing your product's usability, accessibility, and appeal. Use it for user testing, A/B testing, and tracking user behavior to gather feedback and improve your design.

For me when starting a new product design project, I usually need a combination of software tools tailored to different stages of the design process. Some of these tools are: 1. Design Tool: for example Figma For creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes. 2. Collaboration and Communication tool: For example Slack for team communication and collaboration. 3. Project Management tool: For example Jira, Trello, or Asana for project tracking, task management, and team collaboration 4. User Testing tool: For example UserTesting for conducting usability testing and gather user feedback.

The choice of software depends on your preferences. Some teams swear by Figma (and Figjam), while others opt for the advanced collaboration capabilities of Miro. Personally, I really favour Miro. Miro takes collaboration to the next level in their tooling. More complete and tailored to team collaborations.

You need something that will work with you dev ops model and your agile framework. Hopefully both are integrated to manage project form concept to celebration.

Product design thrives on teamwork. Use collaboration tools like Slack, Trello, Google Workspace, or Zoom for seamless communication and coordination with your team and stakeholders. These tools are perfect for sharing ideas, managing tasks, and aligning goals, ensuring everyone stays connected and informed.

In our collaborative journey, tools are like our guides, ensuring the team is synced up and our path is crystal clear. ??? Defining where we stand and where we're headed becomes a breeze. Now, the ways we weave our collaboration tapestry are diverse. The classic meeting room vibe or the modern Zoom/Teams rendezvous – both are portals to team unity. ???? And then, enter Jira – most organization's maestro. ?? Tracking status, setting clear goals, and painting a vivid picture with Gantt charts become our allies in the pursuit of excellence. ???? So, whether it's a virtual huddle or a digital project roadmap, let's keep the collaboration symphony playing harmoniously! ????

The best software is the 'mind'. The best hardware is the 'brain'. Being an expert in computer software means nothing if someone does not know how to use their own mind. :)

Oh, you know, for an absolute disaster, I'd recommend using a mishmash of an outdated software that refuses to collaborate. Juggling between incompatible software, or watching your team drown in confusion. But if you're into a smoother, collaborative, and efficient process where everyone is on same page, Figma is revolutionary tool. But if you are of an explorer go out and try each of them but in the end it doesn't even matter??. So better start with figma and try exploring in it.

Additionally, considering version control systems like Git ensures streamlined project management. As we venture into this exciting journey, these tools collectively form the foundation for innovation and success.