The news about novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate the headlines even after the three months of the outbreak of the virus and raise public concern. Millions of people around the globe are affected by the pandemic and daily thousands are getting infected. To prevent virus spread, companies and educational institutions around the globe have resorted to remote working. How you and your development team are coping with the situation?
Big tech companies are implementing remote work protocols as the cases of COVID-19 cases continue to escalate. However, to make sure that you are still obtaining the same productivity from your team, you need to equip your team with the right tools to make their job easier.
Graffersid team also researched for the best tools and found these tools. Then, we thought of sharing because if we have struggled to find the best, other entrepreneurs might also be. So, here are five best design and development tools that your remotely working developers must possess:
Browsersync:
When it comes to building a website, you have likely found shortcuts and other methods, which can save your time and cut out many of the tedious tasks. But what about the testing phase? With visitors accessing your website through different browsers, screen sizes and devices, how you can efficiently test your website with so many variables?
Browsersync offers a handy solution for this. This Node.js dependent tool simplifies how your site looks and performs on major devices, rather than relying on inefficient testing methods.
Here is what you can do with Browsersync:
- Integrate with a task runner like Grunt or Gulp.
- It let you test your website during a hypothetical network throttle.
- Test your website across all devices and browsers simultaneously. Any action you take on one device will be mirrored across all the others.
- Sync updates to all browsers without hitting the Refresh button
InVision Studio:
The InVision App is one of those tools, which offers a fantastic boon for productivity, but only to a certain extent. InVision is the best for agencies that are looking for a collaboration tool to successfully complete the project on time.
InVision Studio combines Photoshop and Sketch with the InVision App to offer web designers with the total package. For those who find Adobe design apps too cumbersome and Sketch to simplistic to use, InVision Studio is the perfect solution to find one solution for the full web design lifecycle.
Here are some of the cool features of InVision Studio:
- The interface is familiar and intuitive one.
- Screen transitions can be as rich and complex as you need them.
- Unlike other design software, in InVision Studio you need to create artboards only once and not for each device
- Design assets, color palettes and branding can be bundled into libraries to ensure consistency.
- InVision App’s collaboration tool is fully integrated.
Read More: 7 Best Tools to Conduct Meeting with Remote Teams in Corona-Times
PandaDoc:
PandaDoc might not necessarily help you develop or design websites any quicker, it will help new project proposals, get more clients on board and keep projects instantly through the pipeline.
It is simply a matter of how to use this tool to create documentation of your project that streamlines the paperwork part of your business.
Here are some of the features of PandaDoc:
- Create templates from scratch.
- Use the pre-made templates (including non-closure disagreements, quotes and project kickoffs) and modify as you like.
- Save those templates in your library to repurpose for all your projects.
- Use a drag and drop builder to design your documents any way you choose.
- Brand your documentation.
Loom:
A loom is a screencasting tool that lets you record your screen and share it with other team members. Sometimes the easiest way to talk to the team about web development is with a visual demonstration.
What are screencasts?
Screencasts look like screenshots, but they are in video forms. They are perfect to explain your remote team about the new tasks and assignments. Instead of dictating instructions, you can send video to your team members, showing them how to use a particular function.
Loom offers audio, video, face recording, and universal compatibility. Loom can take screencasts as well as record your voice and display your face. This enables you to explain the projects clearly to your team, without setting up a video conference.
Loom is available as an app for Windows, iOS and Mac. It also has a Chrome extension that works within a browser for Android devices. This lets your entire access the tool, despite of the system you are using.
You can use the professional-looking video by Loom for:
- WordPress training
- An introduction to your agency and services.
- Tutorial to new employees about certain tasks
- Video content to share your marketing strategy
- Developing courses and other training material that can be used to generate revenue on your site.
Pattern Lab:
Pattern Lab has been around for a long time, but it is with the most recent of Pattern Lab 2 that is being adopted by designers and developers. Pattern Lab divides the UI design process into the smallest elements known as atoms. Pattern Lab also makes these elements much simpler. Rather than updating the element in every instance of design, you only need to update it once you have applied it universally.
Here are a few other benefits of using Pattern Lab:
- It is also called tool agnostic, which means you can use HTML, CSS or Javascript platform, framework, extension, library within this.
- It is easy to create patterns with Pattern Lab and share it with your team to ensure consistent application across your project.
- It is responsive so you don’t worry about building patterns for different devices.
Summary
In today’s time, it is crucial for agencies to work smarter and faster. The same goes for remote workers and teams working from home. There are faster/better/stronger and more efficient web design and development tools that get released each year. While you might not have the time to hunt around for them, you have guide blogs like this to point you in the right direction.
