Messy pile of wrenches and other tools

Tools

There are many tools that I use on a regular basis, but these are the ones that I would actually recommend to someone.

My go-to for mockups, wireframes, and prototypes. Their basic process mapping and vector-editing tools are pretty good also.

Notion icon

Kind of an intimidating tool to learn, but it stays on my list because of its flexibility, writing experience, and (generally) speedy performance.

Affinity icon

If you don’t use Photoshop or Illustrator daily, but need comparable tools on occasion, why pay for a subscription when these apps are so reasonably priced – and so good.

Diagrams.net icon

A free process mapping tool, which is surprisingly powerful and pleasant enough to use, especially for the price.

Apple icon

I tend to use Apple hardware and software for a lot of the work I do. Not a fanboy at all, they have plenty of problems – but still my preferred experience, despite that.

WordPress icon

My go-to for building most websites. Not always the best choice, but the power of their ecosystem is strong.

Visual Studio Code icon

A great, free plain-text / code editor.

PixelSnap icon

Sometimes you need to measure things on your screen. This is by far the best tool for the job. 

Pika icon

A pretty good color picker and contrast-checker. 

1Password icon

My current pick for a robust, yet user-friendly password manager.

Reeder icon

Still the best RSS reader IMHO. 

Sun icon

It’s hard to be creative if you’re in a poorly-lit, noisy, windowless office. When you need to clear your head or get inspired, just go for a walk.