Tools for the Product Design Process: Part 1
This is for anyone who is new to product design and is wondering what tools they should use or purchase. It is by no means a definitive or complete list, so I invite other designers to share what tools they use. This first part will cover sketching, while future parts will cover wireframing, prototyping, and project management tools.
Sketching
The first (and arguably most important) step is brainstorming and sketching out ideas. For some people this could be storyboarding or diagramming user flows, while for others it could be jumping straight to interface sketches. You should consider what you’ll be doing before you purchase a sketchbook. Every designer should have a sketchbook, but I recommend having at least two.
The key goal here is iteration — you want to explore all the possible solutions to your problem. Since this usually means I start with rough, quick, and ugly sketches to get out ideas, I try to save money with a cheap sketchbook. Sometimes I’ll just whatever is free and accessible (e.g. printer paper, a napkin, my arm). After the first round of sketches is done, the second, nicer notebook comes in. The second notebook is where you’ll draw the sketches you scan to a computer or present to your team.
UI Stencils has some pretty great sketchpads (and tools!). I don’t carry them around like I do with my regular sketchbook, but they have web, mobile, and tablet layouts so you’re always sketching with the correct ratio. They also have an area for notes and labels to easily keep track of your sketches. App Sketchbook has all the same benefits, but in a spiral bound notebook. This could be a better choice if you still want a layout and grid, but also want to carry the notebook around easily.
For my primary sketchbook, my go-to is a Moleskine. For some people bound books are annoying to scan, so they prefer pages you can tear out, but I’ve yet to have a problem with mine. You can purchase Moleskines blank, ruled, gridded, or customize your own. They also just released the Smart Writing Set, which I’m currently saving up for. Personally, I love the feel of these sketchbooks, but if you prefer a spiral bound book or want to save a few bucks, I highly recommend the Dot Grid Book. Both Moleskines and the Dot Grid Books lack a pre-printed layout, so there is more space and freedom to draw. The extra freedom is perfect for notes, sitemaps, or additional sketches if you do visual design as well.
Want to try: UXPin has a lot of really nice kits that I’m eager to try. It’s not exactly a sketchbook, though. It has 3 parts to it that fold open. The first part is a notepad for personas, diagrams, problems, and notes. It’s a perfect spot to lay out the project needs and guide your design. The middle section is a selection of sticky UI block elements that you can peel off like a post-it. The idea is that you can use these on the final section (a dot based grid) to create your interface. The real draw of the kits, however, is that you can take a picture of your wireframe, send it to UXPin, and they will translate it into a digital wireframe for their online tool (which has a monthly fee). If you’re already subscribing to UXPin, this could be a great option, but is probably not worth the extra cash if you’re already using other wireframing tools.
Also: I’m very curious whether people prefer to sketch in pencil or pen (or crayons, hand-made charcoal, whatever your preference). Someone pointed out to me the other day that it was weird I almost always sketch in pen (Pilots are my favorite), but I like not being able to erase my ideas.
