UI design should the perfect beauty + brains concoction. Difficult, but not unattainable, for we agree that there is beauty in everything only if you care to see. On a more nerdy note, balancing aesthetics while not being at loggerheads with the developers is tough. UI design tools are here to make your life a tad bit easier, and these will not only help you explore your creative talents but show how it’d fit into wire-framing and web hosting that follows.
However, with the market being flooded with help, which UI design tools should you consider? There are many tools that offer irresistible choices and features, and we have gathered inputs from the best UI designers from the top UI, UX design company in Hyderabad, to compile this neat list.
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MockFlow
MockFlow is a suite of applications that are specifically helpful if you are looking at just wire-framing. If you need a mood board or just test out your creative flow, this is very helpful for a number of tasks along the process. Initial ideas, brainstorming or create basic layouts to give a structure to the ideas in your head – MockFlow is the go to.
· Balsamiq
Another wire-framing tool, this is a highly recommended app if you are looking at rapid wire-framing. Whip up layouts in a jiffy, or develop a structure as you discuss with Balsamiq. We specifically like the easy drag and drop elements, and buttons that link to the other pages which help create a flow. Balsamiq is not just easy to handle, but creates a kind plan for an interface, so you can share it with others.
· Axure
Axure has a reputation for being one of the best wire framing tools. It works wonders for complex projects with dynamic inputs. Using Axure, you can focus on balancing between the aesthetics and technical details at the same time.
· Sketch
Sketch needs no introduction in the design community. Extremely popular with designers from the leading Web development company in Hyderabad in combination with InVision, known for its flexible features and consistency, this one is a winner. With Sketch, you can create elements and UI assets and keep reusing them, so the whole UI is consistent in terms of design. Also, you can export your whole design onto a prototype so you can get a touch feel experience right from go.
· InVision Studio
With sketch featuring, InVision can’t be left far behind. Most designers swear by this for its ease in creating responsive designs on a single board. Though a work in progress, InVision helps create stunning interfaces with features that can make anyone go wow. Animations, gestures, interactive elements – your imagination is your playground with this one!
· Craft
A great accompaniment to Sketch or Photoshop, this plugin is a must have for UI design. Craft is your personal UI organizer syncing your files with prototypes, and offering great dry runs for your prototypes with dynamic images and data.
· Proto.io
Proto.io can take you from brainstorming rough behind the postcard ideas to close to real prototypes to a fully blown design all on a single tool. Its super flexible, taking you from hand-drawn ideas to wire frames and the finished product. Proto.io also work wonderfully with Sketch and Photoshop Plugins, so it offers a wider range of design possibilities. It truly lives up to its promise of being an end to end design solution.
· ProtoPie
ProtoPie is what we call the smartification tool. If you want a smart design feel with sensory inputs, and 3D features like tilt, voice or vision activated elements, this is your tool. It comes pretty close to the final product, and allows you to create complex element interactions.
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Origami
Origami is built and used by designers at Facebook and that should pretty much sum up its claim to fame. Also, the power packed features where you can customize your rules for element interaction, and make elements behave the way you want them to! It is the perfect harmonizer between developers and designers – a tool that is easy to use without the need of much coding
· Zeplin
Zeplin is more like an interface tool between post design and pre-development. Designers can upload all their files created across Sketch, Photoshop, InVision to Zeplin to create a smooth transition environment for developers.
The User Interface design is a critical part of any software build. The irony is, when the user interface is great it may not get its due credit, but if clumsy it definitely gets flak. Most designers use interface design principles to create a aesthetically appealing, easy to develop and use product. Tools are a great way to make this journey easier, and are by no means a replacement for bad design. Ideas, innovation and creativity will always take the cake, remarks an expert from one of the leading Web design company in Hyderabad.
