Computers are now considered to be an indispensable tool used in the graphic design industry. Computers and software applications are generally seen, by creative professionals, as more effective production tools than the traditional methods. However, a few designers continue to use manual and traditional tools for production, such as Milton Glaser.

Computers may or may not enhance the creative process of graphic design, depending on which process best stimulates the creativity of the designer. Rapid production from the computer allows many designers to explore multiple ideas quickly with more detail than what could be achieved by traditional hand-rendering or paste-up on paper, moving the designer through the creative process more quickly. New ideas may come in the form of exploring software features that would not have been considered without the software. However, some professional designers may explore ideas on paper to avoid creating within the limits of the computer configuration, enabling them to think outside the box; the box being the computer. Some creative graphic design ideas are initiated and developed to near completion in the mind, before either traditional methods or the computer is used.

A graphic designer may also use sketches to explore multiple or complex ideas quickly without the potential distractions of technical difficulties from software malfunctions or software learning. Hand rendered comps may be used to get approval of a graphic design idea before investing what would be too much time to produce on a computer if rejected. Thumbnail sketches or rough drafts on paper may then be used to rapidly refine and produce the idea on the computer in a hybrid process. This hybrid process is especially useful in logo design where a software learning curve may detract from a creative thought process. The traditional-design/computer-production hybrid process may be used for freeing ones creativity in page layout or image development as well. Traditional graphic designers may employ computer-savvy production artists to produce their ideas from sketches, without needing to learn the computer skills themselves.

The use of computers in design is sometimes referred to as CAD (computer aided design), the same abbreviation of computer aided drafting and a homophone of the acronym computer aided design & drafting (CADD) which is the use of computers in engineering designs for mechanical products and associated with computer aided production of these products known as CAM (computer aided manufacturing). This makes no distinction between graphic design and technical drawing. Due to this common misunderstanding, CAD is rarely used to describe computer use in graphic design. The more common term used to describe computer use in graphic design is DTP (desktop publishing). However, DTP is often oversimplified to the narrower scope of graphic design known as page layout and publishing technology.