For some time now, my iPad has become a key tool in my workflow. I use it as a development iPad, especially in the initial stages of ideation and prototyping. Although I'm not a designer, every time I come up with a personal project, the first thing I do is visualize the idea, and for that, the iPad allows me to do it in a fast, flexible and, above all, fun way. Here I share three tools that, personally, have helped me a lot and that I think are worth discovering.

Freeform as a tool for low-fidelity prototyping

Freeform is a native Apple app that, although many use for personal use or general brainstorming, in my case has been a real discovery as a low-fidelity prototyping tool. The most interesting thing is that this application is also used by Apple designers in the earliest stages of design, as commented by several evangelists such as Sarah McClanahan and Apple's Sile G. during an in-person prototyping event I attended.

Freeform has allowed me to replace the typical hand-drawn sketches with quick and well-organized digital prototypes. It is very intuitive, allows you to group ideas, draw screen flows, add screenshots or references, and have a clear visual guide right from the start. Obviously, for medium or high fidelity prototypes, I still use Figma, which is still the most powerful tool in that field. But for starting out and exploring ideas, Freeform has become my preferred choice.

Playgrounds for interactive prototypes

Another tool that I love and highly recommend is Swift Playgrounds. Although originally intended for learning to program, it can be perfectly used to create simple interactive prototypes that simulate how your app would look and work on a real device.

Nowadays, thanks to artificial intelligence, it is quite easy to turn even a low-fidelity prototype into a functional project within Playgrounds. You can send it a screenshot of the sketch, ask it to generate the initial file and then customize it: correct possible errors, adapt styles, add basic logic... and in a very short time you have a functional skeleton of your app.

I find it ideal for showing an idea in a quick meeting, during a brainstorming session or even while having coffee with someone and you want to show them what you are working on.

Reality Composer Pro and AR prototyping

This has been another great discovery for me: Reality Composer Pro. I started using it while testing with augmented reality (AR) and I was really surprised how much you can do with it without being an expert in 3D modeling.

One feature that I find particularly useful is the ability to scan real objects with the iPad and generate digital versions that you can use directly in your AR prototype. Obviously, it is no substitute for professional 3D modeling, but for simple objects or quick tests it is more than enough. You can also use the basic shapes (meshes) offered by Swift, but if you need something more customized, this tool is great.

In addition, you can work with other types of objects such as spatial anchors, facial models, or interactive elements from the basic objects offered by Reality Composer Pro. The important thing is to try it out.

Conclusion

These three tools - Freeform, Playgrounds and Reality Composer Pro - are resources worth discovering for those who want to create fast, functional and visual prototypes, without the need for complex tools. They allow you to present your idea in just a few minutes, from a sketch to an interactive simulation, and even in augmented reality.

Personally, I use the iPad to capture an idea, sketch it, prototype it, and even simulate it, all from a single device. While it can't completely replace a computer (due to issues such as uploading to the App Store or more advanced settings), it has certainly allowed me to streamline my creative and development processes tremendously.

So, if you have an iPad, I encourage you to take full advantage of it as a design and prototyping tool. For me, it has become an indispensable companion.