Desk setup by Tom Koszyk Every now and then, I’m asked about applications I use regularly.It happens not only when it comes to design tools (which is quite an exciting topic anyway) but also for many other categories.I don’t even care that it’s not January, so this article isn’t intended for a specific period.Though I don’t think this list will ever be eternal, I’m sure it will not change dramatically since creating products sticks with our habits.
Task management Working on multiple things is my bread and butter.Being a designer sometimes requires a lot of context switching and coping with recurring tasks.
That’s why Todoist is my to-do list application of choice.I use it for both personal and work-related tasks.It lets me free up my mental space by managing all my ongoing projects, organising recurring events and sticking to my priorities.I love the ability to just express a task with words.Todoist will automatically detect the syntax and turn it into recurring tasks or ones that must be done at a specific time.
An enormous advantage of Todoist is its availability.The product is cross-platform, so I’m using it on my computer and phone.
I often need access to my tasks when I’m in a rush.
Design and prototyping I started my career when primarily designing in Photoshop.Then I became a Sketch evangelist and used it for over 3 years.I had all these quirky plugins that literally 11 people on earth have heard about.
My current design tool of choice is Figma .
Initially, I wasn’t convinced, but I don’t see a better option now.You can’t go wrong with the live collaboration, which is particularly useful for working with multiple designers and developers.It becomes the only source of truth that everybody can access.I don’t waste time syncing my designs by using a bizarre external plugin that stops working when the deadline is nearby.Figma has also made me think more structured since the way (main) components work is closer to code.
Figma is also insanely powerful as far as its plugins are concerned.The community is constantly shipping incredible ideas that make my job even smoother.It’s also a powerful prototyping tool that makes expressing and validating my ideas faster.
Their team is constantly improving.Nowadays, you can even create smooth animations or screen transitions in seconds.
Life management Gathering knowledge and finding relevant information is a huge advantage that has saved me a lot of time.Notion is the tool that lets me achieve these goals.Initially, it seemed relatively quirky and futile, but now it’s an intrinsic part of my toolset.
I use it for a variety of contexts.First of all, it’s a terrific note-taking tool.
Notes can go way beyond being just plain text.I can add dates, statuses, custom tags, and interactive elements like code snippets, links, files or bookmarks.I can even embed external links from tools like Figma or Framer.Another advantage of using Notion is the ability to view your data from a variety of different views.It can be a table, list, calendar, kanban board…or just a regular blank page.Not only do I use it for personal purposes like collecting compelling articles or to-read lists, but it’s an integral tool for managing my design career.
Build-in kanban board is a terrific way to keep track of my leads, projects, roadmaps, or publishing work.Interactive elements are exquisite for thinking in a more visual and organised manner.
Smaller apps Here are a few products that were too small to fit in a separate category or were somewhere in between.
SurfHelp — Chrome extension that empowers users to understand their work habits and block websites that drain their productivity.Numi — my go-to app for (crypto)currency calculations, figuring out time zones, percentages and other mathematical operations.I wish they had a mobile app.
Contrast — tiny macOS app and Figma plugin that allows checking WCAG contrast ratios from my designs.Designers often take it for granted, but it’s terrifically for actual product testing.
Xnapper — an astonishing macOS app that allows me to take beautiful screenshots in seconds.I can also customise their background, shadow or border-radius.About the author Jakub is a Product Designer.You can find him on Medium or check out his personal website ..
