In this UX series, I write about trusty UX tools I have used, or I’ve heard good things about or you folks have suggested.

In my previous article, I focused on 3 main categories: automated UX analysis, analytics and A/B testing.

In this article, I will focus on: accessibility, animation, annotation, audio transcription & automation.

Let's start 😎.

Accessibility

1. Color Tester

It can also be used for: Evaluating Design

Cost: Free!

What does it do best: Create and test your color palette, validate color contrast for accessibility (WCAG 2.0), simulate your palette seen by a colorblind person, convert colors to HSLA, RGBA and hex for your CSS, convert to CMYK.

Once ready, share your palette with your team and export as CSS or swatch/palette for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign, Gimp, Inkscape and OpenOffice. By color.mediaandme.be

2. HTML_CodeSniffer

It can also be used for: -

Cost: Free!

What does it do best: A client-side (only) javascript that checks HTML source code and detects violations of a defined or custom coding standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and the web-related components of the U.S. "Section 508" legislation.

To get you started, HTML_CodeSniffer comes with standards that enforce the three conformance levels of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, and the web-related components of the U.S. "Section 508" legislation. By squizlabs.github.io/HTML_CodeSniffer

There is a small bug for Chrome users.

3. Total Validator

It can also be used for: -

Cost: $14+

What does it do best: Total Validator can check your website to help ensure that it is accessible, uses valid HTML and CSS, has no broken links, and is free from spelling mistakes. This will help you to meet regulations, make your site easier for visitors to use, and improve your site's ranking.

Test your website is accessible and meets regulations, with our large range of WCAG 2.1, US Section 508, and ARIA tests. Ensure your website is coded correctly. Test against over twenty HTML standards, including the latest HTML5 specification. By totalvalidator.com

Animation

4. Flinto

It can also be used for: Design Prototyping & Animated transitions (without timelines or programming).

Cost: $99, but there is a free trial.

What does it do best: It's a good balance between fast prototyping and realism. Prototypes run on iPhone or iPad and can be shared with anyone.

Flinto is a Mac app used by top designers around the world to create interactive and animated prototypes of their app designs. By flinto.com

Only for Mac users.

5. Invision

It can also be used for: Interface Design, Design Feedback, Handoff, Prototyping

Cost: Free+

What does it do best: Turn UI ideas into layered designs with vector drawing tools, or upload existing images. Animate transitions and add micro-interactions to transform your static screens into clickable prototypes.

Collaborate in real-time on an endless digital whiteboard. Start fast with a blank canvas or pre-built templates. Create rich, interactive prototypes. Import from Sketch, then gather feedback from any device. Involve your developers early and often. Collect input and provide detailed specs to keep builds on track. By invisionapp.com

6. Keynote

It can also be used for: Design Prototyping, Presentations, Diagramming

Cost: Free

What does it do best: Includes direct support for Apple Pencil for creating diagrams or illustrations on slides.

With its powerful tools and dazzling effects, Keynote makes it easy to create stunning and memorable presentations, and comes included with most Apple devices. Use Apple Pencil on your iPad to create diagrams or illustrations that bring your slides to life. And with real‑time collaboration, your team can work together, whether they’re on Mac, iPad, iPhone, or using a PC. By www.apple.com/keynote

Only for Mac users.

7. Proto.io

It can also be used for: Interface Design, Design Prototyping, Wireframing, Diagramming

Cost: $24+

What does it do best: Design and test fully interactive, high-fidelity mobile app prototypes using rich media, animation and touch events without doing any programming.

Bring your idea to life in no time. The prototyping solution for all your needs. For UX designers, entrepreneurs, product managers, marketers, and anyone with a great idea. By proto.io

Annotation

8. Snagit

It can also be used for: Screen Recording

Cost: $48+

What does it do best: Create custom screenshots and recordings. Capture your screen, edit images, and share.

Screen Capture and Recording Software. Snagit lets you quickly capture your screen, add additional context, and easily share with coworkers. By techsmith.com

*Snagit wasn't how I expected it to be... it was not as handy as I'd like it to be, but for others it may work better :) *

9. Usabilla

It can also be used for: Evaluating Design,

Cost: No info

What does it do best: Collect visual user feedback by allowing visitors to answer questions by placing points and notes on the page.

Optimize your digital channels with customer feedback. Collect real-time feedback across all your digital channels to improve your customer experience. By usabilla.com

Audio Transcription

10. Amazon mechanical turk

It can also be used for: Remote Research, Participant Recruiting

Cost: Free+

What does it do best: An online marketplace for work. UXers can use this to recruit for and complete simple, scalable, spontaneous ad-hoc research project that is cheap(er), has a quick turnaround and is internationally reaching. By chopping up long audio recordings into small segments, it's also a good way of getting quick, fast human transcription done of interviews.

Personally I have never used it, but I think many people do. If you know more about this tool feel free to leave a comment.

11. Userlytics

It can also be used for: Usability Testing, Analytics, Participant Screening, Participant Panels

Cost: $49+, but there is a free demo.

What does it do best: Set a screener for the panel of testers, define goals, tasks and questions (with metrics like time-on-task, success/fail, SUS, NPS and SEQ), and get feedback via picture-in-picture videos and automated transcriptions.

Scalable & Customized User Research, Test your websites, mobile apps, prototypes and even competitor assets; optimize your customer journey, user interface, and your users' overall experience. By userlytics.com

Automation

12. ARCS – Automated Recruiting and Communication System

It can also be used for: Participant Scheduling, Participant Panels, Automation

Cost: Free

What does it do best: ARCS lets your panel members self-schedule and respond to studies. The panel management platform helps you find and qualify the right people, schedule them for studies, and optimize panel engagement.

ARCS® provides your panel members with an engaging experience to self-schedule and respond to studies while improving your operations' efficiency. ARCS panel management platform helps you find and qualify the right people, schedule them for studies, and optimize panel engagement. By m-s-g.com

13. eggPlant

It can also be used for: Analytics, Automation

Cost: No Info

What does it do best: A range of products for customer experience insights, optimisation, load testing and digital automation intelligence.

Eggplant can help you with: AI assisted testing to ensure rapid release of your applications, business continuity through testing and monitoring, testing your business applications as you modernize and move to the Cloud for remote work, scalability of your online presence through effective load testing. By eggplantsoftware.com

14. EnjoyHQ

It can also be used for: Process Aids, Data Repository, Collaboration, Research Analysis & Synthesis, Automation

Cost: Free+

What does it do best: An automatically synchronising, fully searchable repository of customer feedback and research findings. Collaboratively accessible. Native integrations available.

Everything you need to build an Effective Research System. Centralize all your research data, improve collaboration, standardize your research process and share insights easily. By getenjoyhq.com

15. SurveyGizmo

It can also be used for: Surveying Users, Automation

Cost: Free+, and free trial

What does it do best: Online survey platform targeting startups and enterprise. Question types that suit market research (conjoint/max dif /Likert/NPS, etc). Data visualisations. Automations, integrations and scripting tools.

Transform your business with Alchemer. Today, every organization collects customer feedback— but very few act on it. Alchemer takes the voice of the customer out of dashboards and puts it into the hands of your people. So they can build the customer ecosystem. So they can engage at the front lines. So they can workflow, integrate and report. By www.alchemer.com

16. userZoom

It can also be used for: Usability Testing, Participant Panels, Automation

Cost: No info

What does it do best: A user research testing platform including recruiting services, and automated reporting.

Experience Insights Management (XIM) for digital teams. Gather, analyze, and share UX and CX insights across your business to create products customers love. By userzoom.com

17. WalkMe

It can also be used for: In-application guides & user tutorials, Automation

Cost: Free+

What does it do best: Proactive, step-by-step guidance for users that analyzes and automates processes so people can complete tasks easily. Works with any software, website, or app.

Reach exponential value with technology. Drive strategic business goals with WalkMe’s Digital Adoption Platform and realize the full value of your technology investment. By walkme.com

Conclusion

In this article, we checked different tools you can use for accessibility, animation, annotation, audio transcription, automation. Usually, the tools can be used for more than 1 thing (for example convention, heat maps, user testing, etc.). Some tools are free and others are paid. The paid tools, most often, will provide a free trial or a demo!

More categories are coming soon! Make sure to sign in to my newsletter so you won't miss any updates on this or upcoming articles.

I’d love to hear from you. Which one are you most looking forward to using?

👋Hello, I'm Eleftheria, Community Manager at Hashnode, developer, public speaker, and chocolate lover.

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