Tools Shape Thinking
The software we use influences how we think about work itself.
Sometimes I wonder if tools shape our thinking more than we realise. Perhaps they even change how we think about problems and possible solutions.
I started with Paint, my first digital drawing tool. Then Paintshop Pro expanded what I thought was possible. Photoshop introduced layers, which changed everything. Moving to Sketch opened up exploration through the infinite canvas. I could iterate freely without the constraints of fixed documents. Then Figma took it further. The performance was next level, and collaboration became so much easier. Now AI coding tools are reshaping things again, collapsing the gap between vision and implementation.
The real influence comes through defaults. What's easy to do? What's encouraged? Maybe the best tools don't just enable workflows, they gently guide you toward better ones.
