If you’ve tried to go shopping for creative digital signs for your business, then you know that they are hardly the cheapest commodity on the block. However, you don’t have to buy everything; you can invest in your own custom made digital signage software and designs to get a product that is the true embodiment of who you are as a business. This is certainly great news for your marketing strategy.
If you decide that custom designs are for you, there’s a host of tools you can use to create content of all kinds for display, from simple images and slideshows to web pages, videos and interactive content, drawn from the web or any other source of interest. Basically, if you can do it on a computer, you can incorporate it into your digital signage.
Choosing your platform
The first step, of course, is selecting the platform, and you have a choice between Android and Linux. Android is actually a variation of Linux, which has been custom made for use in portable devices e.g. tablets, smartphones, gaming devices, media boxes, etc., but it can also be used on a computer.
You can fit Android as your OS, and your entire multimedia presentation in a case the size of a matchbox, and run it on some big screen. Linux is more diverse in regards to applications that can be used. It has benefited from over 20 years of continuous development in various environments that have enhanced its stability, security and adaptability.
Depending on your end-game, there is neither a better nor worse option. Android is better suited if you want a digital signage system that includes a variety of options in hardware, software and system support. If you have a tech savvy team on hand and wish to experiment and go out of the box with your designs, Linux provides a broader range in software and high versatility in regards to hardware. (Klonopin)
Choosing the tools
Digital signage design is rather specific and challenging. The designer must integrate various elements in a seamless manner that resonates with the audience and also provides all the client needs to enable effective communication of the message.
There are many aspects to be taken care of: the code, the design/layout and of course the content. In the process, many tools need to be used in order to make the designer’s job simpler, and achieve desired effect for the signage. Below are a few of the best and latest tools that you can use to handle specific aspects of your digital signage design:
- js
This is a fresh web and signage design tool that will help a designer improve the aesthetic appeal of their digital signage.
- WebFlow
This is a collection of some of the top professional and responsive design templates with eye-catching user interfaces. In addition, the tool can generate the relevant code automatically as the designer lays out specific elements so that you don’t need to enlist the services of a developer or write out code yourself once you’re done with the layout. You can begin from scratch or use any of the available templates.
- MarvelApp
This is the perfect resting place for a digital signage designer. Using the Marvel App, you can transform mockups, images and sketches into their corresponding web and mobile prototypes without having to use any code.
- Zeplin
Here is an app that can be used to contact and exchange ideas with various professionals in the global web design community. These include experts in user interface design as well as frontend developers from all over the globe.
- UXpin
This is a modern tool designed with the modern developer in mind. It includes features for version control, collaborative functions and iterations, which will enable the lead designer and his team to offer an awesome UI, for a memorable user experience, without sacrificing any of the other important stuff.
- Amazium
Go for this simple and clean tool if you are looking for a responsive framework to help you build minimalistic yet attractive designs for your signage.
- Am I Responsive Design
Responsive design is a major part of digital signage design, and this is the tool to help you get it done as fast and seamlessly as possible. Use this tool to demonstrate to clients what responsive web design means when you don’t have ready products to use in your demonstration. However, note that it is not a testing tool; testing still needs to be done on actual devices.
- css
This is the best tool for designers that use CSS.
- Macaw
Macaw offers the agility of your usual image editor and also includes a feature that can construct HTML semantically as well as writing CSS remarkably precisely. It’s the ultimate design tool.
- Weebly
This is an online store from where you can design/create distinct blogs, websites, e-commerce sites as well as digital signage designs. It makes the design process remarkably easier.
- Square Space
A beautiful way to create your signage design and do more with it.
- Wirefy
This was created to assist designers and developers to create wireframes faster and more manageably. With Wirefy, you can expedite the process between making sketches and the final products. It offers simplified workflows together with a set of properly defined atomic elements to help design new user interfaces seamlessly.
- Invisionapp
Certainly the most powerful tool for design prototyping yet. Invisionapp can transform simple designs into appealing and wholly interactive prototypes. These come complete with animation, transitions and gestures for Android, iOS and web.
- io
This helps you to create high-fidelity and fully interactive prototypes that operate in the exact way your signage should, without having to code anything.
- Framerjs
This is a new and creative tool which can be used to construct animation and interaction prototypes/ pixels. It can be connected to behavior, and you can discover new and exciting ways to build your interactive designs.
