As designers, we have access to so many tools today, and it appears that new ones are released daily. Since it’s hard to stay on top of them all, it’s essential to have a predetermined set of go-to tools.
Check out our top web design and bespoke software tools, which include anything from open-source graphics to image optimization.
1. Image Optimisation
Making sure all the image sizes are smaller is one thing that is important for your web design requirements. The page speed of your website, which is essential today, is increased by decreasing the size of the photographs. You’ll probably lose those potential conversions if your website loads even just a short amount of time slowly. I export all of my image assets and begin the process of shrinking their sizes as quickly as elevated layouts are approved and prepared for dev handoff. It only takes a few seconds to download Image Optima. As soon as the optimization process is complete, it displays the file size and the amount you saved. The fact that this utility changes the file already there in your folder rather than producing a duplicate file is also a plus! When you get a checkbox just on left side of the screen after dragging the file you wish to reduce, you’re done!
2. Color Scheme Maker
Check out Coolors if you’ve ever struggled with colour schemes or simply need some colour ideas. With the click of a mouse, the web tool Coolors creates colour schemes. Palettes can be created in their whole, explored, extracted from photos, and much more. The generator is the main tool I’m using here. Let’s say you have in mind a primary colour for just a brand but also are unsure of the other components. To create all the other colours, simply press the space bar after typing in the hex code for that primary colour and locking it in place with a click.
Lock in any colours you find that fit the aesthetic you’re going for and keep producing until you find a palette you like.
3. Accessibility Checker for Contrast
Color contrast is something you constantly keep in mind when developing websites. The WCAG Color Contrast Analyzer can help you determine whether the colours you’re using are accessible. Simply enter the hex code or RGB values for the background and foreground colours, and the website will do the rest. It will calculate the contrast ratio, produce compliance findings, and even demonstrate how those colours seem when combined.
In terms of the contrast ratio that is exhibited, the higher the number, the more contrast there is. You must have a ratio of 4:5:1 or above to satisfy accessibility compliance.
4. Design Practices Resources
Numerous factors need to be taken into consideration as web designers but are occasionally missed. Keeping track of every single one of them might be a little overwhelming, that’s why Checklist Design is a useful tool. It’s a website that lists each of the important design components in a checklist manner. Consider the scenario where you are developing a conceptual design and working on buttons. You can select the elements tab, click on the buttons, and a listing of anything and everything you must have designed will appear. Along with the links to suggested articles on the right-hand side, the ability to check off items after completion is a nice feature.
