Obsidian for Designers: Local-First Knowledge Base for Design Research

Obsidian is a note-taking app that stores everything as plain Markdown files on your computer. Unlike cloud-first tools like Notion or Roam Research, your notes live locally as readable text files you own forever. The defining feature is bidirectional linking: connect ideas with [[wiki-style links]] and Obsidian shows you how concepts relate in a visual graph. Designers use Obsidian to build a “second brain” for design research, track inspiration over time, and connect ideas across projects without losing them in scattered folders.

Key Specs

How Designers Use Obsidian

Obsidian adapts to different stages of design work. Here’s how designers apply it to build lasting knowledge.

For Design Research Notes

Capture user interviews, competitor analysis, and research findings in separate notes, then link related concepts. Tag notes with project names or themes (#mobile-redesign, #accessibility). As you accumulate research, links reveal patterns you didn’t plan for. For example, linking all notes tagged #onboarding shows common user pain points across different projects. The graph view visualizes these connections as a network of ideas.

For Personal Knowledge Management

Build a design library that grows with your career. Create notes for design principles, tools you’ve learned, books you’ve read, or techniques you want to remember. Link related concepts: a note on “color theory” might link to “accessibility,” “brand design,” and specific projects where you applied those ideas. Over months and years, this becomes a searchable archive of everything you’ve learned, organized by how you think, not arbitrary folders.

For Project Journals

Create a note for each project where you document decisions, explorations, and outcomes. Include links to Figma files, screenshots, and retrospective thoughts. This becomes a design diary that’s useful when updating your portfolio or explaining past decisions in interviews. Because notes are Markdown, they’re fast to write and easy to search, unlike heavy tools like Notion databases.

For Inspiration Collections

Clip inspiration, design patterns, and references into notes. Use Obsidian’s daily notes feature to capture ideas as they come, then link them to project notes or concept notes later. Unlike Pinterest or Are.na, your inspiration lives locally and connects to your research. Search for “card design” and find inspiration alongside research notes and past projects where you used similar patterns.

Obsidian vs. Alternatives

How does Obsidian compare to other note-taking and knowledge tools?

Choose Obsidian if: You want local storage, permanent ownership of notes, fast performance with thousands of notes, and a system that grows with you for years.

Choose Notion if: You need team collaboration, databases, and project management in one tool, or prefer a polished interface over plain text.

Choose Roam Research if: You want bidirectional links and graph views but prefer cloud storage and don’t mind the subscription cost.

Choose Apple Notes if: You want simple, fast note-taking without setup, and only use Apple devices.

Choose Craft if: You want beautiful documents with real-time collaboration and don’t need advanced linking or plugins.

Getting Started with Obsidian

A 20-minute quick start to build your first connected notes:

Step 1: Create your vault and first note

Download Obsidian, create a new vault (choose a folder location, like Documents/Obsidian), and create your first note. Write in Markdown: use # for headings, **bold** for emphasis, and - [ ] for checkboxes. Save is automatic. Press Cmd/Ctrl + N to create a new note anytime.

Step 2: Link notes together

To link notes, wrap a note title in double brackets: [[Note Name]]. If the note doesn’t exist, Obsidian creates it when you click the link. Start connecting ideas: link a project note to a research note, or link a design principle to projects where you applied it. These connections are what make Obsidian powerful over time.

Step 3: Explore the graph view

Press Cmd/Ctrl + G to open the graph view. You’ll see your notes as dots and links as lines between them. As you add more notes and links, this becomes a visual map of your knowledge. Click any dot to open that note. The graph shows clusters of related ideas you might not notice in a linear list.

Obsidian in Your Design Workflow

Obsidian works best as a long-term knowledge base that connects to tools you use daily.

• Before designing: Capture research from Dovetail, inspiration from Are.na, or team brainstorms from FigJam into Obsidian notes
• During design: Reference past project journals, link current work to related research, or draft design docs in Markdown
• After designing: Write project retrospectives, document learnings, and connect outcomes to principles or research notes

Common tool pairings:

• Obsidian + Figma for documenting design decisions and linking to Figma files via URLs in notes
• Obsidian + Notion for personal research (Obsidian) and team collaboration (Notion)
• Obsidian + Readwise to import highlights from articles and books directly into your vault
• Obsidian + iCloud/Dropbox to sync your vault across Mac, iPhone, and iPad for free

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

These issues come up regularly in Obsidian communities. Here’s how to solve them.

“I have too many unlinked notes and my graph is a mess”

Unlinked notes are normal when starting. Don’t force links—they should be natural connections between ideas. Use tags to group related notes (#design-system, #research) when links don’t make sense. The graph view has filters to hide orphaned notes if the visual clutter bothers you. Focus on linking forward: when creating a new note, link to relevant existing notes instead of going back to fix old ones.

“Obsidian feels too plain compared to Notion”

Obsidian prioritizes speed and simplicity over visual polish. If you need more styling, install community themes (Settings > Appearance > Manage). Try “Minimal” or “Things” for cleaner interfaces. You can also use plugins like “Style Settings” to customize colors and fonts. That said, the plain interface is intentional—it keeps you focused on writing, not formatting.

“Syncing with iCloud or Dropbox causes conflicts”

Cloud services sometimes create duplicate notes when syncing conflicts. To reduce this, only edit notes on one device at a time, and let sync finish before switching devices. For better sync, Obsidian Sync ($10/month) handles conflicts automatically and includes version history. Alternatively, use Git with the “Obsidian Git” plugin for free version control if you’re comfortable with technical setup.

“I don’t understand how to organize my vault”

Start simple: create a note for each project, research topic, or concept. Don’t build complex folder structures upfront—links replace folders in Obsidian. Many designers use a flat structure with folders only for major categories (Projects, Research, Daily Notes). Let your organization emerge from links and tags over time. The search is powerful enough to find anything quickly.

“The plugin ecosystem is overwhelming”

Start with core Obsidian features before installing plugins. The essentials are already built-in: links, tags, search, and graph view. Only add plugins when you have a specific problem to solve. Popular starting points: Templater (for project templates), Dataview (to query notes), and Calendar (to navigate daily notes). Install them one at a time, learn each before adding more.