The best design doesn’t happen in a vacuum — it takes collaboration.
But when your team’s bogged down by slow downloads, clunky workflows, and endless file versions, working together isn’t as easy as it should be.
The right design collaboration software clears the roadblocks, giving your team more time to focus on what they do best: designing.
Here’s our pick of the best design collaboration tools for smoother workflows and better creative output.
What is design collaboration software?
Design collaboration is the process by which multiple stakeholders — including project managers, clients, developers, and artists — work together to thread design thinking throughout the production of a product. That end product could be anything from a piece of software to a brand logo to a toaster oven. After all, as the designer Paul Rand wrote, “Everything is design. Everything!”
Design collaboration software, then, is the category of digital tools and platforms that facilitate teamwork and communication among the professionals working on such a project. While many different products attempt to solve different specific needs for design teams, in general, they all help streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and facilitate the types of conversations necessary to create great design work.
For distributed teams, software that enables remote collaboration is essential. If you’re working from a home office in Quebec for a client in Dubuque, and want to incorporate collaborators from additional regions, design collaboration software facilitates seamless communications. Still, it’s important to find the right software for your specific team and use case. Before diving into our list of the best options, let’s take a look at some of the qualities you should use to evaluate the best software for your team.
How to choose the best design collaboration tool
Different types of design collaboration tools specialize in certain areas of the creative process. Don’t worry: you don’t need a different tool for every possible application. A few of the qualities to consider when evaluating design collaboration software are:
Scalability: How many collaborators will need to be working on the project at once? What if your company or projects grow? Each tool addresses the issue of scalability differently.
Integrations: How does this new tool fit into your preexisting tech stack? If you’ve already got projects built out on Asana, or your team is already communicating regularly via Slack or Discord, keep an eye out for integrations within the given software tool that can help streamline your workflows even more.
Learning resources: Tools suited to complex work sometimes have a steeper learning curve. Take a look at the tool’s tutorials and resources, as well as off-platform educational content on YouTube or personal blogs. Some enterprise-scale tools even have custom onboarding to consider.
Application: While many tools are quite adaptable, you may be specifically working in wireframes at the moment, or designing websites with highly specific technical needs. Alternatively, maybe you need a do-everything tool, and specialization isn’t right for your scenario.
Pricing structure: If you’re footing the bill for this software while boot-strapping a project, the price may be top of mind. Dig into pricing tiers with an eye toward what works for you today and how team growth might impact that pricing. Some free tiers are usable indefinitely, and demo periods can help you get a feel for each option.
The 16 best design collaboration tools
Brainstorming
One of the most fun parts of collaboration is the freewheeling early phase where resources, inspiration, and ideas are corralled together. Over time, this can turn into a resource, and even a codified library to reference and return to. High-level notation and idea management software helps make a brainstorming process even more productive.
