There’s a strange kind of pressure in the design world right now—to be ahead of the curve, to have the hottest tools in your dock, to show you’re riding the AI wave, not being drowned by it. I’ve been there. I’ve tried stacking 20 tools into my workflow just to keep up. But the truth is, over time, I’ve become more minimalist—not less.
This post is a transparent look at the tools I actually use today as a product and UX designer, and why they’ve stuck. It’s not about the trendiest apps, but the ones that earned their place in my day-to-day creative stack.
Start Here: My Philosophy on Tools
Before I open Figma or fire up GPT, I ask two things:
Does this tool reduce friction or add complexity?
Can I build a repeatable system around it?
The tools I keep are the ones that solve real problems—not just look impressive on a portfolio screenshot.
For Ideation & Early Thinking
Notion
I’ve tried every knowledge base app under the sun, and I keep coming back to Notion. I use it as my daily design journal, a UX research repository, and a roadmap tracker. It’s flexible enough to think in chaos, but structured enough to make sense of that chaos later.
ChatGPT (GPT-4o)
This is my thinking partner. I don’t just use it for writing copy—I use it to debug UX flows, challenge my assumptions, and reframe problem statements. When I’m blocked, it becomes a second brain that’s blunt, fast, and unbiased.
PromptCanvas
When I’m too vague with an idea, PromptCanvas forces me to slow down and structure it—goal, tone, user need, format. It’s like sticky notes for prompt-based creativity.
For Visual Exploration
Figma
Still the backbone. I’ve explored tools like Penpot and even Framer’s visual editor, but Figma’s component logic, prototyping, and plugin ecosystem still make it my go-to. It’s where ideation meets system thinking.
Recraft
When I need a fast visual without opening Illustrator, Recraft delivers. I use it to generate vector assets, logo drafts, or styleboard ideas. The SVG outputs are clean and usable. For early visual exploration, this saves hours.
Kittl
When typography is the star—event posters, merch mocks, campaign visuals—Kittl gives me that handcrafted typographic feel without spending 4 hours in Illustrator. It’s Canva for designers who care about type hierarchy.
For Motion, Prototyping & Web
Framer
My favorite tool for turning concepts into working web prototypes. Framer lets me go from Figma-like design to real interactions and scroll behaviors without writing code (but with the option to write when needed).
Spline
I don’t use 3D in every project, but when I do, Spline is my playground. It lets me build lightweight, interactive 3D scenes that bring motion and depth into web experiences. Ideal for hero sections or creative experiments.
What I Tried and Dropped (and Why)
Galileo AI
Gorgeous mockups—but no flexibility. I found myself spending more time cleaning up than it saved me upfront.
Magician for Figma
Clever, but not essential. The generative magic felt a bit like a party trick—cool for one-off ideas, but not something I’d rely on to ship.
Midjourney (for product work)
It’s stunning for artistic expression, but not great for interface design, UX workflows, or anything requiring consistency. I now use it more for moodboarding than actual asset creation.
What I Look for in a Long-Term Tool
After a year of testing, I’ve stopped chasing “AI-powered everything.” I look for tools that:
Reduce decision fatigue
Let me prototype faster, not just prettier
Are built with designers (not just engineers) in mind
Have clean exports and system logic
It’s not about having more tools. It’s about having the right stack for your brain, your work, and your creative momentum.
Final Thought
I’ve come to believe that building your creative stack is a deeply personal process. The best tools aren’t the flashiest ones—they’re the quiet ones that sit in the background, letting you think faster, feel clearer, and make better work.
If you’re overwhelmed by all the new tools launching every week, try this: audit your current workflow. Keep what reduces friction. Ditch what doesn’t. Let your stack grow with you—not the other way around.