Building A Portable Design Toolkit

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the staggering array of resources and options available to designers. In this article, we’ll explore the idea of consciously restricting yourself to a set of core tools that you know, love and trust. Take a traditional craftsman — let’s say a carpenter. While they may have access to a wide range of tools in their workshop, they will take a bag with just a few carefully chosen tools when working away. Similarly, an artist may have a wide range of paints, brushes and accessories in their studio, but will carefully select a limited palette and a few choice brushes when painting in the field.

Learn to limit your choices and set parameters. These are not constraints, but rather guidelines to lead you to better work. Building a toolkit and developing a playbook is a way to help you define your own style and to master the tools you need to make your work unique, personal and memorable.