UX Tools & Resources

Here's a list of startup & UX books and tools that I've found helpful. I've used all these things in building my side projects and my career and hopefully you'll find some of them useful!

UX Books

Mapping Experiences

A guide to different methods for sorting and understanding user experiences. Full of great examples and when to use each method.
View
The Design of Everday Things

A UX classic. How to get into the mindset of approaching design from the perspective of usability.
View
Don't Make Me Think

Another UX classic that focuses on designing web interfaces for usability and removing unnecessary complexity.
View
Sprint

A great book outlining how to run design sprints. This process helps you quickly figure out what to build and test different ideas.
View
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Learn the Hook Model for encouraging customer behavior and bring users back to your site/app.
View
Lean UX

Rapidly experiment with design ideas, validation, and learn quickly to make a better product.
View

UX Tools

Design Tools

Photoshop

My original design tool. Great for designing just about anything. Only complaints being type and shapes aren't as good as other tools.
View
Sketch

Awesome newer tool for designing websites. Great for designing clean-looking sites. You'll still need another tool for photo/pixel editing.
View
Illustrator

Another Adobe design app that can be used for design. Arguably better at type & vector than Photoshop, but lacking pixel editing abilities.
View

Wireframing Tools

Balsamiq

Wonderfully simple wireframing tool that is cheap, but powerful. This is a great place to start working and useful for client conversations.
View

Prototyping Tools

Invision

Great tool that lets you link a series of design screens together to create a clickable prototype. Ease of use over complex interactions.
View

UX Courses

The Ultimate Guide to Usability and UX

This is the Udemy course that I used to start my UX journey. It's really great quality and easy to follow along. Totally worth the cost to get a quick start in learning UX.
View

Startup Books

The 4-Hour Workweek

This book tells you how to focus on what's important and dump or get someone else to manage the other stuff. Learn to build cash-earning 'muse' businesses.
View
So Good They Can't Ignore You

Amazing read about building a passion for your work by developing skill. How to find fulfilling work and achieve great things.
View
The Lean Startup

The ultimate guide to building an efficient startup. Learn to build your company by running small experiments and finding the best path forward.
View
The Obstacle Is the Way

How to face challenges head on and not be overcome by failures or fear. Learn how to use obstacles to make you stronger.
View

Hosting

Bluehost

A perfect host for starting our your WordPress site and getting going. Great deals on shared hosting and super easy to setup with automatic WordPress installation.
View
Media Temple

Great host for larger websites when you're getting a lot of traffic. Allows you to manage your own server.
View

UX Tools & Resources

Mapping Experiences

The Design of Everday Things

Don't Make Me Think

Sprint

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Lean UX

Design Tools

Photoshop

Sketch

Illustrator

Wireframing Tools

Balsamiq

Prototyping Tools

Invision

The Ultimate Guide to Usability and UX

The 4-Hour Workweek

So Good They Can't Ignore You

The Lean Startup

The Obstacle Is the Way

Bluehost

Media Temple