Help CenterSince our courses are focused on applying learning about design fundamentals in digital design projects, we recommend using Sketch or Figma. As well as being user-friendly and easy to learn, they are also cutting-edge, collaborative design tools used by professional UX and UI designers today.
Figma is browser-based, works on any computer, and is free for individual users. Sketch requires a Mac, and you need to buy a license—but you can get 50% off via our Perks page. (Note that you’ll only be able to access the perk once your course has started, so if you’re installing it ahead of time, get started with the trial version and upgrade later.)
To help you get started, you can learn the basics of these packages through our free Sketch 101 and Figma 101 email courses!
Here’s some other software you might be interested in exploring during your course:
- Prototyping tools like InVision, Marvel, and UXPin
- Wireframing tools like Balsamiq
- Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes more advanced packages like Photoshop and Illustrator. (We also have a Photoshop 101 email course!)
As for computer hardware, you can use either Mac or PC. However, note that some packages like Sketch will only work on Mac—and Macs are still the de facto industry standard amongst designers.