Top Software to Consider for Your Design Business

Do you still carry a huge portfolio file of your ground-breaking ideas? Or do you take measurements on a measuring tape? Or worse, do you still use sticky notes to track your design projects?

If so, you’re probably living in the dinosaur age as these are things of the past!

The penetration of technology has brought a landmark change and ended the misery of many design businesses like yours. Today, being tech-savvy is necessary, and design businesses that overlook it end up being the target of digital Darwinism.

With the right set of software at your fingertips you can outsmart your competitors and make a name for your business. As rightly said by David Hicks, “The best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them.” That’s what design software will help you achieve.

Apart from gathering design inspirations, this software reduces the overall budget, ensures your projects are on-time, ensures proper client-communication, and does everything to make your life less messy.

Top Software to Consider for Your Design Business

Use these six software to keep your next design project on schedule and under budget.

1. Interior design software

Wouldn’t it be great if you could conceptualize every thought of your client into reality?

You probably have everything in your head, but you cannot paint the perfect picture on the canvas!

What do you do? Enter pro interior design software!

Thanks to such software, you can paint your ideas on the screen, make alterations without any physical hassle, and save time at your project’s beginning step.

From planning an extension, building a new kitchen to making alterations in rooms, and landscaping the garden – regardless of the project such a tool helps in accurately fleshing out your customers’ ideas.

Benefits of interior design software

Provides custom integration
Automates creative process
Floor plan creation and visual walkthrough
3D modeling, 2D space planning, and high-quality rendering

Our recommendation: Foyr Neo

Features:

Easy to learn and use
High-quality rendering
Design using AI
Design from anywhere
50% faster than other software
Hundreds of design presets
50,000+ pre-3D modeled products

Cost: Freemium (14-days free trial with a paid subscription)

2.Project management software

Running an interior design business can be overwhelming as clients can get demanding, overheads can shoot, and deadlines may be stringent.

That’s why many interior design businesses are relying on project management software. Such software is a centralized place consisting of multiple tools to help deliver projects successfully.

With such a productive tool in hand, your design business can quickly ditch the pencil, a sheet of paper, and methodology.

According to PwC, 77% of high-performing projects use project management software. With these statistics in mind, your design business must invest in such a tool.

Apart from assisting in project planning, implementation would encourage healthier work standards. It helps you find resource bottlenecks, and you know the best time to bring in more people to your design team. This ensures 100% utilization of the workforce, thereby helping you deliver successful projects on time.

Benefits of a project management software

Project planning
Scheduling and time management
Tracking projects
Tracks project budget
Assist in collaboration and communication

Our recommendation: Asana

Features:

Customizable dashboard
Subtask assignment
Email integration and automatic updates
Customer support
Custom calendar and project creation
Events and meetings
Group discussion and multiple workspaces

Cost: Freemium (The basic plan is free. Premium, business, and enterprise are paid subscription plans)

3. To-do-list software

As a designer, the paper probably has been your best friend for years. But, it is now time to dump it! Why?

Going digital has many benefits. You no longer have to cross off tasks or shift the arrows when your design project reminder changes using a pen.

That’s what makes a to-do-list software an indispensable part of your life.

With such software, get more done, stay organized and manage your time. According to a study by MIT, a worker spends 22 years of a 45-year career meeting and doing less value-added tasks.

A to-do-list software will help organize the work and ensure you and your employees waste less time on unnecessary meetings. It lets you prioritize tasks to ensure your project remains on schedule.

Benefits of a to-do-list software

Doesn’t forget
Helps set priorities
Helps coordinate similar kind of work
Increases productivity
Tracks progress
Eases the process of carry-over tasks

Interestingly, you can share these interactive to-do-list apps with your employees, creative team, and clients.

Our recommendation: Todoist

Features:

Sets goals
Productivity visualization and backup reports
Natural language input
Smart scheduling
Delegate tasks
Works offline
Integration with Google Calendar and Dropbox

Cost: Freemium (free with limited features)

4. Video conferencing software

In any collaborative design project, communication holds the key, and defines the failure and success of a project. Poor communication opens the door to rework, client dissatisfaction, wastage of raw materials and resources.

According to a study, 89% of employees agree that video conferencing reduces time to complete a project, and 90% believe that video conferencing makes it easier to share ideas.

If you’re not a video conferencing your clients, you’re missing out on tremendous opportunities to wow them. From understanding your client’s need to sharing your screen to show the changes in your interior design software, video conferencing eases communication and helps build long-lasting relationships.

Benefits of a video conferencing software

Increases collaboration and communication
Connects teams across the globe
Allows recording to ensure key points are not missed
Helps connect with clients at a personal level
Saves time and money on travel

Our recommendation: Zoom

Features:

Efficient collaboration and communication
Screen and application sharing
Video webinar and conference rooms
Scheduling and recording
Dynamic voice detection

Cost: Freemium (Free for personal meetings and paid plans for teams)

5. Mood board software

Ask anyone to describe a mood-board, and they’re likely to imagine a page full of images. In short, for most people, a mood-board is a messy creation. For interior designers, mood-boards are time-saving creative devices that help deliver a message in an impactful manner.

What is a mood board?

These are a collection of different patterns and assets that eventually become a style guide for interior designers. It’s a place where designers can unleash their creativity and experiment with various facets of design.

Using a mood-board, you can show your ideas to your clients and get approval without any physical hassle.

According to research, a mood-board is highly effective in setting the scene and providing visual organization. As a designer, you get creative freedom – a must-have for delivering quality and successful projects.

A mood board seamlessly conveys a story, color, pattern, texture, and mood. It’s a must-have tool in the arsenal of an interior designer. Furthermore, mood-boards backup your thought processes and help to deliver the idea to your client.

Benefits of a mood board software

Helps to clarify a vision
Helps you involve your clients from the starting
Ensures design collaboration
Pushes creativity
Ensures that the outcome aligns with the project goals
Ensures a smooth and efficient process

Our recommendation: Morpholio board

Features:

Integrates with Pinterest
Offers curated product library
Provides custom boards and grids
Provision for AR furniture
Different color seed
Offers AR color capture
Provides a list of an automated furniture
Provides board for iPhone and Mac

6. Accounting software

As an interior designer, accounting and math are likely to scare you. That doesn’t mean you can overlook it. Without managing your cash flows, it would become difficult to grow and manage your business.

The way a design business operates makes manual bookkeeping a challenging task. Furthermore, a small mistake in entries is likely to ensure you’re sued for filing wrong taxes.

That’s why you need online accounting software.

From disbursement and recharged expenses to VAT – an accounting software tracks all your finances in one place and ensures accurate bookkeeping. With 50% of small business owners hating bookkeeping – an investment in one could be your ladder to success.

Benefits of an accounting software

Improves accounting and bookkeeping accuracy
Provides accounting security
Enhances invoicing
Anytime access to accounting data
Real-time reporting and recording of finances

Our recommendation: Quickbooks

Features:

Manages and report finances
Excellent inventory management
Tracking of sales and customers
Tracks cash-flow, balance sheets, and P&L
Creates budget and purchase orders
Import data from an excel spreadsheet

Cost: Freemium (30-day free trial with a paid subscription)

Wrapping up the top software of your next project

There’s no denying that technology is upending interior designing, and its benefits are visible virtually every way. From client communication, interior designing to communication and

time-management, technology is changing the way of doing business – and for good!

Designing a home or office space is an art as you ensure the space remains clutter-free, is aesthetically beautiful, and yet functional. For your design business to become successful, you need to let the creativity flow at every phase. This includes having the right set of software in your arsenal.

Use these six software to stay ahead of the curve and remain on top-of-minds of potential customers.

Apart from enhancing your team’s efficiency, these software ensures design clarity and adherence to deadlines, thereby helping your business deliver impactful concepts and winning results.