The Tools I Use to Lighten My Workload As a Remote Designer
One of the most revolutionary epiphanies a remote designer can have is that tools are actually able to lighten your workload. This sounds obvious but isn’t always at the forefront of a designer’s mind.
This might sound crazy, but doing things this way always got my desired result just right. The only problem? Working like this was tremendously time-consuming and not efficient at all. I knew this at the time, too, but my pride was standing in the way.
Eventually, as my workload grew, toiling away like this became impossible. I mean, who has time to create every single paint mark or image themselves?
What I realized is that there are so many tools out there, all of which have different functionalities and offerings to users. Utilizing them as part of your routine isn’t a weakness, but actually a strength. Using the right tools actually enabled me to become a better designer and improve my work overall because they allow me to focus my efforts where they’re really needed, rather than on menial tasks that can be fast-tracked.
Wappalyzer helps you learn how any website was built
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Codepen.io is a free place to do quick code mockups or even see examples of pre-built projects without having to set up an entire local dev project
Invision app allows me to upload screens and connect the objects through hotspots, and share with my clients, who can leave notes/feedback
Humaaans if you don’t have time to create custom illustrators but still want to create high fidelity mock ups for a client, Humaaans is an amazing plugin for Sketch
I still believe in originality full-heartedly, but the fact of the matter is there are so many tools, software, and programs available today that you’d be hard-pressed not to take advantage of them.
There’s absolutely no shame in using stock images, free typefaces, component libraries, and more… These exist to make design life that much easier! Once you have all the moving pieces in place with tools, you can actually spend your time adding value to projects and understanding the needs of your users on a deeper level.
All of this is to say that integrating the right tools into your routine will revolutionize your design experience and allow you to focus on what matters most.
Founder & Creator of The Designers Digest, Brittany has a long love story with travel and design. She currently lives in Hong Kong where she works as a UI/UX designer, primarily for an international AgTech company, but is always looking to take on new creative projects, specifically those looking to create positive change in the world.
