There are many prototyping tools available, both free and paid. The differences can be subtle, and every product team has a unique approach and workflow. Choose a tool that fits with your design process and supports the level of interactivity needed for your prototype. Ask yourself:
- What is your necessary level of design sophistication? Do you need a professionally designed prototype to demonstrate your vision?
- How complex is the interactivity necessary to showcase your concept, functionality, and data?
If the answer to either of the above is “low,” prototypes can be generated in common platforms such as PowerPoint, Lucidcharts, Visio or any graphic design software.
If your answer is “high,” there are several tools available for advanced UX prototyping, but with the announcement from Adobe it will be ceasing XD development, it appears Figma has won the race.
- Figma: Figma is quickly becoming the preferred industry tool for designing user interfaces and prototypes. Being web-based, Figma allows designers to create and collaborate on projects in real-time, making it a top choice for teams working remotely. At Toolbox No. 9, Figma has become our first choice tool for UX prototyping and collaboration. In a self-conducted survey, Figma found that 71% of respondents reported that the tool reduced the time spent on design handoff and collaboration by at least 25%. We can attest that once we mastered its web-based collaboration features, our workflow improved significantly, particularly in today’s remote-first work environment.