Tech

Best UI/UX Tools for Developers

Published

4 years ago

July 23, 2020

When it comes to app development, we all know that having a proper user experience strategy put together will make the difference between success and failure. After all, you need to align your vision as a business, with what the users need and what your product does.

User experience and user interface are two different things that work very well together. UI focuses more on how the interface looks, whereas UX is more about the experience your users have when interacting with the product.

With that being said, UI and UX are two very important parts of the app development process. So, let’s take a look and see some of the best tools available out there. As we’ve mentioned before UI and UX are different, and there are apps that cater more to each one specifically. So, firstly we are going to see some of the tools that handle the UI part and after that, we are going to check out the ones that focus on UX.

User Interface Tools

1. Sketch

Sketch is one of the most popular UI development tools out there, and that with good reason. It’s fast and versatile. This tool lets you make changes on the fly and also lets you integrate a whole lot of plugins, meaning that it saves you a lot of time and gets you rid of all the tedious work.

2. Axure

Axure comes with a wide variety of features that make the prototyping process a whole lot easier, without needing to code anything. Besides that, it also lets you share the work with your team, or client with just the touch of a bottom.

3. Adobe XD

Adobe Experience Design provides UI designers with everything that they could ever need. It comes with a wide array of vector-based tools that help you create artwork, screen layouts, and interactive prototypes. Not only that, but it makes the communication process easier, by letting clients post comments on your work.

User Experience Tools

1. FlowMapp

As you might have known, when coming up with a UX strategy, you need to pay attention to structure, flow, and sitemaps. That’s where FlowMapp comes in. As the name suggests, the tool allows you to create highly detailed workflows that will make the lives of your backend developers a lot easier.

2. Figma

Figma is a browser-based tool. Because of that, everyone can share, open, and edit the files regardless of the OS they’re running on, so the handoff process between designers and developers is done much easier.

Besides making the prototypes accessible to anyone, it also eases the communication process. The way they managed to do this, is by integrating Slack.

3. VisualSitemaps

As the name suggests, this one is specifically designed to create visual sitemaps. For those of you that don’t know, sitemaps are diagrams that show the connection between web pages, and website content.

So what does this tool do? Well, it creates sitemaps automatically, becoming very handy for UX designers.

Conclusion

Having a UI/UX strategy well put together is the main part that will either ensure the success or the failure of your product. The tools we’ve mentioned above will hopefully help you achieve the former.

Tech

Resist Temptation and Get More Productive With Website and App Blockers

Published

3 weeks ago

July 4, 2024

Jonathan Grilli

From reading the latest news to looking for your next big vacation (or being captivated by social media), the Internet has become a massive landscape of diverse content. With the digital world filled with countless distractions, resisting temptation and being able to focus has become more and more difficult. The development of website and app blockers provides a simple solution to avoid scooting down portal pathways that hinder productivity and, sometimes, lead to negative consequences.

As a worldwide societal phenomenon, the Internet is rapidly evolving, with entire economies and personal relationships relying on the web. A website and app blocker intentionally restricts access to specific internet sites and apps through software programs. Website and app blocker software can be downloaded as add-ons or extensions for browsers, like website blocking on Chrome. Such blocking can include programs that assist in URL-based blocking, Platform-based blocking—specifically when using search engines, and Domain Name Systems blocking, which all make it difficult to access specified domains and websites on the Internet.

Many website and app blockers allow you to enter websites and apps that you want to restrict access to for a certain time period throughout the day or a certain length of time. This can be helpful to those who need to focus on studying but keep falling into temptation’s trap, straying away from what needs to be done to engage in unnecessary Google searches or scrolling through Instagram posts.

However, there are website and app blockers that can permanently restrict access to specified sites and apps. With potentially crucial reasons to restrict access to Internet content, blocking software could improve daily lives. Those struggling with shopping addiction or facing negative consequences at work for an inability to remain focused may find website and app blockers incredibly beneficial.

Website and app blocking isn’t confined to personal, individual use. It has become a rising trend for many governments to utilize this software when blocking illegal content. Yet, the software can also help parents, guardians, and other family and friends block access to harmful content and inappropriate material for children.

By restricting access to certain websites or apps, you allow yourself to build new and more productive habits, or keep yourself and your kids safe. Through establishing “forced focus” times for yourself, concentrating solely on your work or tasks at hand becomes easier. Protectivity has many proven benefits. Committing to what needs to be done can help build your self-worth, creating a feeling of accomplishment that is good for your mood. Even if the things you need to focus on and get done are smaller tasks in nature, accomplishing your daily tasks can help ward off excessive stress and anxiety, as well as depression.

NetNanny, BlockSite, and Surfblocker as some of the most effective website and app blocking software. BlockSite is a blocking software used globally by millions of people, and it provides relief from temptation by temporarily blocking websites and apps, so you can focus, be productive, and build self-control habits.

Whether you are trying to keep yourself in check or your family safe, website and app-blocking software limits screen time while providing customization to users that help tailor usage to individual needs.