Designing Tools for Designers: UX/UI Tool Development

Designing tools for designers is a unique challenge. It’s one thing to design for the general public, but when your audience is made up of professionals who live and breathe design, the stakes are higher.

The Nuances of Designing for Professionals

Designing new tools for designers means understanding the intricacies of the craft, the current state of the technology and the painpoints of the design journey. It’s not just about creating another design tool that works “better”; it’s about creating something that pushes the limits of their skillset and genuinely adds value to their always changing workflow.

The Value and Challenge of Feedback

Receiving feedback from professionals is invaluable. They offer insights that can significantly improve a product. However, it’s essential to discern the type of feedback being given. Is it from the perspective of an end-user or a fellow professional critiquing the tool? Striking a balance between these insights is crucial.

My Journey into Tool Development

Over my career, I’ve had the privilege of crafting tools for professionals in different sectors. From Sketch Runner, a command palette plugin for sketch, to bespoke tools for design teams like Zalando and even musical apps like Allthemidi. In my experience, working with pro-consumers is challenging, and scary, but it is the most rewarding user base I have ever found.