PM Tools for PM + Design
PM/design hybrids need tools that live at the intersection of research, wireframing, prototyping, and delivery — minimising context-switching between disciplines.
Must-have categories
- ✓Figma or design-adjacent tool
- ✓User research and testing
- ✓Design feedback management
- ✓Handoff tooling
Nice-to-have
- +Prototyping tool (Framer, Principle)
- +Accessibility checking
- +User session replay
Recommended tools
Industry standard for software development teams — most PMs will encounter Jira in their career
Exceptionally intuitive and visually clean interface — one of the lowest onboarding friction tools for non-technical teams
Highly visual and intuitive interface with color-coded boards — one of the easiest PM tools for non-technical teams to adopt
All-in-one platform replacing multiple tools — docs, whiteboards, goals, time tracking, chat, and project management in a single workspace
Unmatched flexibility as an all-in-one workspace — combines docs, wikis, databases, and project management in a single tool
Extremely intuitive drag-and-drop Kanban interface — virtually zero learning curve, new users productive within minutes
Browser-based with no installation required — runs on any OS and enables instant sharing via URL, removing friction for cross-functional collaboration with PMs, engineers, and stakeholders
Best-in-class infinite canvas experience — the gold standard for collaborative whiteboarding with real-time multiplayer editing
De facto standard for workplace communication — most PMs will use Slack daily, and it appears constantly in job descriptions
Deep native integration with Jira makes it the de facto documentation tool for teams already using Atlassian — Jira issues embed seamlessly in pages