A decade ago, I relied on simple tools like Inkscape (to remove Adobe hegemony for my workflow) for mockups and high-fidelity design, using HTML and CSS for coding a prototype. I could open and work on those files without any intermediaries, making my work much more efficient.
Today, I find myself forced to use Figma for design and collaboration, Notion for organization, and Webflow (SaaS Dreamweaver) for creating prototypes, all while relying on countless plugins for Figma to compensate for the software's shortcomings. It seems that designers are now more focused on keeping up with the latest updates, trends and tools than on delivering solutions to real-world problems.
It's time for a change. We need a new tool that simplifies our workflows, focuses on the needs of designers, and offers a library of boilerplate design system solutions with headless components and tokens. This tool should be accessible to offer the option to export code and assets without any paywalls or SaaS limitations (on top of subscription). Such a tool could revolutionize the design industry and save us all valuable time and resources.
Currently, my subscription total for all the different tools I use exceeds $120. With a simpler, more streamlined workflow, designers could focus on their work, rather than the tools they use.