Across this guide and particularly on the pages about individual tools, our approach is to focus on free (or available at the University of York) tools and software which is as simple as possible to get started with. There are many fancy tools out there that you can use for digital creativity, including the ones that tend to be used by professionals working in specific fields like graphic design, game development, etc. Whilst we will mention some of these where they are available to use in some way, we will mostly discuss free software and apps.

We often mention using general tools for specific tasks rather than highly specialised tools, for example using PowerPoint to make simple videos and animations or for removing the backgrounds of images, because these tools can be more familiar to the general public. If you can repurpose a tool you're already familiar with or which has lots of online guidance to follow, that can make the process of developing a digital creativity project easier and less time-consuming.

Choosing the right methods and digital tools is just as important as using them! The process of finding what will work for you, your ideas, and your project can be trial and error, but there are a few things to consider that will help you make choices and find the right tools to try out:

• What do you actually need to do? - Defining what kinds of outputs you're looking for and what these outputs should do will help you to look for tools that actually suit your needs.
• How much time do you have? - Time is key when learning new digital tools and techniques. Do you have time to explore a range of tools or do you need to focus on a few? Have you factored in time for learning how to use new tools?
• Do you need to buy (or borrow) anything? - Many of the tools we suggest will have free versions, but you might need physical hardware or more powerful software that comes with a price tag. If you don't have money to spend on the project, you might have to adapt to what you can do with free and open source tools. or look into what the Creativity Lab can offer if you're at the University of York.
• Are you overcomplicating things? - You can be ambitious in your plans, but it can be useful to reflect on whether you are overcomplicating your project. Could you focus on a single output rather than multiple? Often doing one thing well is better than trying to do a lot of things and not being able to do them all justice.

Don't forget the importance of play: make sure you try out tools with test ideas or data before you start using them for your project or work. This will give you an idea of the functionality of the tool whilst also helping you to learn how it works.

Often, starting a digital creativity project might involve learning new digital skills. That might be learning how to use a new tool or a new area (e.g. 3D modelling), but it also might be improving your digital skills generally so you feel more confident with digital technologies. For example, you might want to ensure you're comfortable with file types and storage, learn more about digital accessibility considerations, or improve your organisation.

We have a range of other guides and lots of training to support you with your digital skills. Here's some links to useful places to start: