Designers do not work solely with design tools. Alongside software developed specifically for design, they employ maps, spreadsheets, game engines, AI systems, archives, found objects, and custom-made tools. Some repurpose technologies in entirely unexpected ways, while others transform everyday systems into instruments for creation.
This issue explores the expanding toolkit of contemporary design practice. Rather than focusing on finished outcomes, it highlights the tools, systems, and methodologies that shape how designers think, work, and create. Through interviews, projects, and case studies, The Tools Issue examines how unconventional tools influence visual language, production processes, and creative decision-making.
Looking beyond traditional design software, this issue reflects on how tools can serve as frameworks for thinking, experimenting, and communicating—transcending their role as mere means of production.
