When to deviate from industry-standard tools

A designer’s guide to custom solutions

In design, we often reaching for the familiar — Figma for UI, After Effects for motion graphics, Photoshop for detailed photo compositions, Glyphs for type design, and InDesign for print work. These industry-standard tools have become synonymous with their respective disciplines, offering robust capabilities that cater to a wide range of creative needs.

But what happens when these tools aren’t enough? What if the constraints of a single application, or even a combination of them, limit the project’s potential?

This is where custom tools come into play and the question becomes, when does it make sense to deviate from these tried-and-true tools and invest in building or adopting something custom?

Establishing criteria for custom tools

Before diving into custom tool development or adoption, it’s helpful to establish criteria that justify the deviation from industry standards:

• Complexity of the task: If a project requires more than one tool to achieve a single asset (e.g., combining Figma and After Effects for a complex animation), it might be worth exploring a custom solution that simplifies the workflow.
• Repetitive tasks: Custom tools are highly effective in producing multiple variations within defined constraints, making them especially valuable for brand design and content creation that must adhere to specific guidelines.
• Efficiency gains: The ability to expedite the design process by reducing the time spent launching and switching between multiple heavy desktop applications can also be an advantage.
• Third-party ease: Could someone less technical benefit from a simpler tool?

The rise of generative design tools

Generative design tools, made accessible by prompt-based coding, offer an innovative workflow that reduces reliance on traditional desktop applications.

The key benefit is the ability to customize parameters for specific needs, enabling controlled experimentation. This setup allows you to inherently enforce your design sensibilities from the start — like selecting the perfect supplies in an art store and saying, “This toolset resonates with the vision I have in mind.” This freedom makes the creative process more fluid and aligned with your objectives.

As the world becomes more visually literate, people are drawn to imagery that is difficult to place and recreate, sparking the question, “How was this made?”

Notable examples of custom design tooling

• SVG Pattern Builder
• One of the more robust free online design tools available, the SVG Pattern Builder allows users to export their creations in various motion and still file types. This flexibility empowers designers to quickly and efficiently incorporate intricate patterns into their work.
• Digital Architecture Lab Generator
• Developed by Talia Cotton in partnership with Pentagram, this tool generates a curated random array of shapes, blending creativity with control in a unique way.
• Tools – Dia
• Created by Dia, known for their impressive motion typography and branding identities, these tools offer a glimpse into the creative process behind high-profile projects like Squarespace and Pinterest. Although unauthorized commercial use is prohibited, the agency shares some of the tools that help shape their iconic work.
• Type Dither
• A lightweight tool I developed – Type Dither allows for quick dithering effects on text without the need for Photoshop or Illustrator, making it easy to create expressive typography.
• Mockup + Boockup
• Two browser-based tools for creating unique book and OOH advertising mockups, simplifying the visualization process directly in your browser.
• Space Type Generator
• This generator, created by custom tool expert Kiel Mutschelknaus, yields unique, organic results. The archive showcases what’s possible when you shed existing software constraints.
• Gradientor
• A fun gradient generator by Anatoly Grashchenko that lets you select colors, draw with text, and now even trace SVG graphics, simplifying a process that would require expert use of multiple programs.
• Collapse Constraint Systems
• A specialized tool that replicates effects typically requiring Photoshop, offering customizable tuning that’s hard to achieve in traditional software.

In design, it’s common to lean on familiar, industry-standard tools like Figma, After Effects, and Photoshop. These tools are robust and versatile, meeting a wide range of creative needs. However, when their limitations hinder a project’s potential, custom tools can open up new avenues for creativity.

Whether it’s streamlining complex tasks, automating repetitive processes, or enabling generative design experiments, custom tools empower people to build something totally new.