So, first things first: What exactly is UX documentation?<\/p>\n
What is UX documentation?<\/strong><\/h2>\nUX documentation captures all the key steps in the UX and product design process. It acts as a single source of truth, allowing anyone within the team or the wider organisation to understand the scope of a project, how design decisions have been made, and what the outcomes were.<\/p>\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n [GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\nUX documentation can include:<\/p>\n
\n- An introduction to the project and the design challenge, including key stakeholders and their areas of responsibility, as well as a project timeline<\/li>\n
- An overview of user research methods and main findings<\/li>\n
- User personas and user journey maps<\/li>\n
- Notes from \/ summaries of workshops and ideation sessions<\/li>\n
- Early concepts and sketches<\/li>\n
- Information architecture<\/li>\n
- Wireframes and prototypes in all their various fidelities<\/li>\n
- Outcomes from user and usability testing<\/li>\n
- Design systems and style guides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Why is UX documentation so important?<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven if you\u2019re working as the only UX designer in an organisation, it\u2019s essential to maintain clear, accessible UX documentation. This will allow you to:<\/p>\n
\n- Keep track of the past in order to inform the future<\/b>. You won\u2019t always remember what you did and why you did it, so thorough UX documentation will give you something to refer back to. This will help you make informed decisions for future design projects.<\/li>\n
- Include others in the design process. <\/b>UX and product design isn\u2019t solely the domain of the designer(s). It impacts everyone working in the organisation, so it\u2019s essential to allow others to understand how design decisions have been made\u2014and how the product design process ties in with overarching business goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Foster collaborative design. <\/b>With designers, developers, and product owners all having a hand in the design process, UX documentation allows for a collaborative and transparent approach. It also serves as a single source of truth, making sure everybody is aligned and on the same page.<\/li>\n
- Easily onboard new designers and hand over your work. <\/b>UX documentation is a valuable company asset, ensuring that a product\u2019s history is recorded and not lost over time (or with the departure of a team member). If you ever need to bring new people into a project or hand it over, your UX documentation will make the task significantly easier.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now we know what UX documentation is and why it\u2019s so important, let\u2019s consider some of the best tools for the job.<\/p>\n
The 6 best UX documentation tools to use in 2022<\/strong><\/h2>\nHow you document your UX process will depend on the setup of your organisation, as well as what UX design tools<\/a> you\u2019re already using. Here are 6 of the best UX documentation tools to consider.<\/p>\n1. Notion<\/strong><\/h3>\nNotion<\/a> is a project management and note-taking software designed to keep all company documents and useful information in one centralised location.<\/p>\n![\"notion](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.10.32.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Notion is compatible with both macOS and Windows, and it can be used as a web, Android, or iOS app.<\/p>\n
Notion isn\u2019t exclusively a UX documentation tool, but it does come with all the functionality you need to house your design assets, specs, and projects in one place.<\/p>\n
Here are just some of the great things you can do with Notion:<\/p>\n
\n- Build a design wiki<\/a> to host all your most important assets, such as style guides, meeting notes, design assets, and process documentation<\/li>\n
- Create custom workflows for every design project<\/li>\n
- Easily import files from Confluence, Asana, Google Docs, and Trello for central organisation<\/li>\n
- Use the drag-and-drop interface to create custom dashboards, docs, or systems that work for you<\/li>\n
- Choose from thousands of pre-built Notion templates<\/a> for different use cases, including project roadmaps, meeting notes, design systems, employee onboarding, and more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Notion cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nNotion offers the following price plans:<\/p>\n
\n- Free Personal plan for individuals (can be shared with up to 5 guests)<\/li>\n
- Personal Pro plan at $4 per month (includes unlimited file uploads and unlimited guests)<\/li>\n
- Team plan at $8 per user\/month (unlimited team members, collaborative workplace, and admin tools)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can learn more about Notion\u2019s price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n2. Dovetail<\/strong><\/h3>\nDovetail<\/a> is a user research analysis and repository platform ideal for documenting and sharing all your UX research<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"dovetail](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.14.45.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Conducting UX research requires not only thorough planning, but also comprehensive analysis and, of course, good documentation of your findings. A tool like Dovetail can help you stay organised throughout.<\/p>\n
With Dovetail, you can:<\/p>\n
\n- Upload video and audio recordings and turn them into editable transcripts<\/li>\n
- Create highlight reels of key moments from your user interviews<\/li>\n
- Create a searchable repository<\/a> containing all your UX research findings<\/li>\n
- Use intuitive analytics tools to see how different stakeholders engage with your UX research<\/li>\n
- Use templates to establish conventions and consistency for user interviews, usability testing sessions, and more<\/li>\n
- Store images, videos, and documents all in one place<\/li>\n
- Use the comment function to discuss research data and agree on next steps as a team<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Dovetail cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nDovetail offers the following price plans:<\/p>\n
\n- The Analysis plan at $15\/month (includes 1 contributor, unlimited viewer accounts, and 250 tracked research participants)<\/li>\n
- The Analysis & Repository plan at $100\/month (includes 5 contributors, unlimited viewer accounts, and 500 tracked research participants)<\/li>\n
- The Enterprise plan at $900\/month (includes 15 contributors, unlimited viewer accounts, and 1,000 tracked research participants)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Learn more about Dovetail\u2019s price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n3. Google Drive<\/strong><\/h3>\nGoogle Drive<\/a> is a cloud-based solution for storing, sharing, and collaborating on files and folders from any mobile device, tablet, or computer.<\/p>\n![\"google](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.18.15.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
If you use gmail for email, you\u2019ll already have personal access to Google Drive. It\u2019s also a popular solution for teams, offering a simple yet powerful way to keep everything organised and foster collaboration in real-time.<\/p>\n
So how does Google Drive function as a UX documentation tool? Here\u2019s what you can do with it:<\/p>\n
\n- Create and share text files via Google Docs<\/a>. This is a great way to document processes, gather research findings and project notes, and to collaborate via the commenting function<\/li>\n
- Use Google Sheets<\/a> to track project workflows, timelines, and spend, and to synthesise and analyse data from your user research<\/li>\n
- Create and share presentation decks with Google Slides<\/a>. This is ideal for condensing, visualising, and presenting UX projects to be shared with stakeholders<\/li>\n
- Organise all your assets using a simple, searchable, cloud-based filing system<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Google Drive cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nGoogle Drive is free for personal use. Companies and teams can use Google Workspace<\/a> with the following price plans available:<\/p>\n\n- Business Starter plan at $6\/user per month<\/li>\n
- Business Standard plan at $12\/user per month<\/li>\n
- Business Plus plan at $18\/user per month<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can learn more about what\u2019s included with each Google Workspace plan here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n \n [UX DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS COURSE]<\/p>\n Get the Best Start in UX Design<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n4. Miro<\/strong><\/h3>\nMiro<\/a> is not just a UX documentation tool. It\u2019s a powerful team collaboration software used for workshopping, gathering early-stage design ideas, and centralising communication.<\/p>\n![\"miro](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.21.40.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
At its core, Miro is a web-based virtual whiteboard. As a UX designer, there\u2019s not a lot you can\u2019t <\/i>do with Miro; this versatile tool is great for running remote workshops, creating affinity and customer journey maps, building out presentations, and iterating on early design concepts.<\/p>\n
In terms of UX documentation, you can use Miro to:<\/p>\n
\n- Gather and organise research and workshop insights in dedicated whiteboards and spaces<\/li>\n
- Involve multiple stakeholders in discussions and feedback rounds via the direct commenting function<\/li>\n
- Visually map out processes and workflows<\/li>\n
- Use the infinite canvas to store all different types of data, insights, and file formats in one place, allowing for a bird\u2019s-eye view of the entire UX process<\/li>\n
- Build custom templates to help standardise different steps in the UX workflow<\/li>\n
- Integrate with tools like Slack, Jira, and Sketch for streamlined communication and workflows<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Miro cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nThe Miro free plan gives you access to 3 editable boards, a range of customisable templates, and core integrations for an unlimited number of users. For the full Miro experience, the following price plans are available:<\/p>\n
\n- The Team plan at $8\/member per month for unlimited editable boards, custom templates, and private boards<\/li>\n
- The Business plan at $16\/member per month, starting from 5 members<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You can learn more about Miro\u2019s various price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n5. Airtable<\/strong><\/h3>\nAirtable<\/a> is a cloud collaboration service, described as a \u201cspreadsheet-database hybrid, with the features of a database but applied to a spreadsheet.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"airtable](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.24.42.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Airtable is a great UX documentation tool as it allows you to easily create a database that stores all the different content and information that\u2019s crucial to your work\u2014and makes them accessible to other people across the team or organisation.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s an overview of how Airtable works as a UX documentation tool:<\/p>\n
\n- Bases (i.e. folders) which represent individual projects<\/li>\n
- A centralised Workspace which stores and organises all your Bases, giving you an overview of all the different projects you\u2019re working on<\/li>\n
- Tables which are nestled within your Bases and store all the data and content relating to a specific project. Tables are comparable to spreadsheets, containing columns, rows, and fields<\/li>\n
- Design-specific templates to help you standardise and track certain processes and workflows, such as the project tracker template<\/a>, the design project pipeline template<\/a>, and the user feedback template<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Airtable cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nYou can use Airtable for free with unlimited Bases and 1200 records per Base. For additional space and advanced features, the following plans are available:<\/p>\n
\n- The Plus plan at $12\/seat per month\u2014ideal for teams looking to create a single source of truth to manage their workflows and processes<\/li>\n
- The Pro plan at $20\/seat per month\u2014for teams and companies who need to create workflows and apps to run their most important processes across the organisation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
View all Airtable price plans and features here<\/a>.<\/p>\n6. Confluence<\/strong><\/h3>\nConfluence<\/a> is a web-based corporate wiki which allows you to build, organise, and work collaboratively in one place.<\/p>\n![\"Confluence](\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screenshot-2022-03-16-at-16.26.34.png\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n
Confluence offers a whole host of handy features for knowledge management and project collaboration. Here are some of the ways you can use it as a UX documentation tool:<\/p>\n
\n- Create and organise pages (i.e. documents) to record, edit, and discuss your work<\/li>\n
- Build spaces to host all your various pages. You can create spaces for individual stakeholders, teams, and projects<\/li>\n
- Build out a user-friendly knowledge base with advanced search functionality, handy labels, and an intuitive page hierarchy<\/li>\n
- Standardise processes and consolidate best practices with customisable templates<\/li>\n
- Track version history and highlight changes with real-time co-editing<\/li>\n
- Stay up to date with personalised activity feeds on your homepage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
How much does Confluence cost?<\/em><\/h4>\nYou can use Confluence for free with up to 10 users. For additional users and functionality, the following paid plans are available:<\/p>\n
\n- The Standard plan at $5.50 per user\u2014ideal for growing teams who want to collaborate and share knowledge<\/li>\n
- The Premium plan at $10.50 per user\u2014ideal for organisations looking to scale with advanced content controls<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You\u2019ll find a comprehensive overview of Confluence\u2019s price plans and features here<\/a>.<\/p>\nWhat other UX design tools do you need in your toolkit?<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn this post, we\u2019ve introduced 6 of the best UX documentation tools. When it comes to building out your UX toolkit, that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. You\u2019ll also need dedicated tools for research, wireframing and prototyping, and for UI design.<\/p>\n
For more of our recommended UX tools, consult the following guides:<\/p>\n
\n- The best UX research tools to use in 2022<\/a><\/li>\n
- A guide to the top 10 wireframing tools (and their pros and cons)<\/a><\/li>\n
- The 9 best prototyping tools for UX & UI designers<\/a><\/li>\n
- A round-up of the best UI design tools<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How you document your UX process will depend on the setup of your organisation, as well as what UX design tools you\u2019re already using. Here are 6 of the best UX documentation tools to consider.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":6353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[274],"tags":[289],"class_list":["post-6344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ux-tools","tag-ux-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6344"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9330,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344\/revisions\/9330"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n UX documentation can include:<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re working as the only UX designer in an organisation, it\u2019s essential to maintain clear, accessible UX documentation. This will allow you to:<\/p>\n Now we know what UX documentation is and why it\u2019s so important, let\u2019s consider some of the best tools for the job.<\/p>\n How you document your UX process will depend on the setup of your organisation, as well as what UX design tools<\/a> you\u2019re already using. Here are 6 of the best UX documentation tools to consider.<\/p>\n Notion<\/a> is a project management and note-taking software designed to keep all company documents and useful information in one centralised location.<\/p>\n Notion is compatible with both macOS and Windows, and it can be used as a web, Android, or iOS app.<\/p>\n Notion isn\u2019t exclusively a UX documentation tool, but it does come with all the functionality you need to house your design assets, specs, and projects in one place.<\/p>\n Here are just some of the great things you can do with Notion:<\/p>\n Notion offers the following price plans:<\/p>\n You can learn more about Notion\u2019s price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dovetail<\/a> is a user research analysis and repository platform ideal for documenting and sharing all your UX research<\/a>.<\/p>\n Conducting UX research requires not only thorough planning, but also comprehensive analysis and, of course, good documentation of your findings. A tool like Dovetail can help you stay organised throughout.<\/p>\n With Dovetail, you can:<\/p>\n Dovetail offers the following price plans:<\/p>\n Learn more about Dovetail\u2019s price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Google Drive<\/a> is a cloud-based solution for storing, sharing, and collaborating on files and folders from any mobile device, tablet, or computer.<\/p>\n If you use gmail for email, you\u2019ll already have personal access to Google Drive. It\u2019s also a popular solution for teams, offering a simple yet powerful way to keep everything organised and foster collaboration in real-time.<\/p>\n So how does Google Drive function as a UX documentation tool? Here\u2019s what you can do with it:<\/p>\n Google Drive is free for personal use. Companies and teams can use Google Workspace<\/a> with the following price plans available:<\/p>\n You can learn more about what\u2019s included with each Google Workspace plan here<\/a>.<\/p>\n [UX DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS COURSE]<\/p>\n Get the Best Start in UX Design<\/span>\n <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n Miro<\/a> is not just a UX documentation tool. It\u2019s a powerful team collaboration software used for workshopping, gathering early-stage design ideas, and centralising communication.<\/p>\n At its core, Miro is a web-based virtual whiteboard. As a UX designer, there\u2019s not a lot you can\u2019t <\/i>do with Miro; this versatile tool is great for running remote workshops, creating affinity and customer journey maps, building out presentations, and iterating on early design concepts.<\/p>\n In terms of UX documentation, you can use Miro to:<\/p>\n The Miro free plan gives you access to 3 editable boards, a range of customisable templates, and core integrations for an unlimited number of users. For the full Miro experience, the following price plans are available:<\/p>\n You can learn more about Miro\u2019s various price plans here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Airtable<\/a> is a cloud collaboration service, described as a \u201cspreadsheet-database hybrid, with the features of a database but applied to a spreadsheet.\u201d<\/p>\n Airtable is a great UX documentation tool as it allows you to easily create a database that stores all the different content and information that\u2019s crucial to your work\u2014and makes them accessible to other people across the team or organisation.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an overview of how Airtable works as a UX documentation tool:<\/p>\n You can use Airtable for free with unlimited Bases and 1200 records per Base. For additional space and advanced features, the following plans are available:<\/p>\n View all Airtable price plans and features here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Confluence<\/a> is a web-based corporate wiki which allows you to build, organise, and work collaboratively in one place.<\/p>\n Confluence offers a whole host of handy features for knowledge management and project collaboration. Here are some of the ways you can use it as a UX documentation tool:<\/p>\n You can use Confluence for free with up to 10 users. For additional users and functionality, the following paid plans are available:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find a comprehensive overview of Confluence\u2019s price plans and features here<\/a>.<\/p>\n In this post, we\u2019ve introduced 6 of the best UX documentation tools. When it comes to building out your UX toolkit, that\u2019s just the tip of the iceberg. You\u2019ll also need dedicated tools for research, wireframing and prototyping, and for UI design.<\/p>\n For more of our recommended UX tools, consult the following guides:<\/p>\n How you document your UX process will depend on the setup of your organisation, as well as what UX design tools you\u2019re already using. Here are 6 of the best UX documentation tools to consider.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":6353,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[274],"tags":[289],"class_list":["post-6344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ux-tools","tag-ux-tools"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6344"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9330,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6344\/revisions\/9330"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
Why is UX documentation so important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
The 6 best UX documentation tools to use in 2022<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Notion<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Notion cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
2. Dovetail<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Dovetail cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
3. Google Drive<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Google Drive cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
4. Miro<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Miro cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
5. Airtable<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Airtable cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
6. Confluence<\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n\n
How much does Confluence cost?<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n
What other UX design tools do you need in your toolkit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n