Adobe XD: Getting to Know the Easy Way to Create Engaging Prototypes and Designs

What is Adobe XD?

Adobe XD is a UI/UX design tool developed by Adobe. As InDesign is one of the best programs for print materials, XD has shown to be instrumental for website and app designs. It was beta tested in 2016 and then launched in late 2017. Over one million Adobe community members contributed ideas, comments, and suggestions to help the progression of shaping XD. With this tool, designers have the ability to focus on more than just the aesthetics of visual design and can spend their time creating and not having to worry about things like creating multiple resolutions, as it has automatically responsive resize features. UI kits are available with elements that are customized for screen sizes on desktop, tablets, iOS, and Android devices. This program in addition to the other Adobe products we use has made designing and mocking-up projects for our clients easier than ever.

Wireframes, Prototypes, Grids, Assets, and more

The key elements of XD are designing, prototyping, and sharing. One of the main tools is to create wireframes that include graphics, components, text, and wires that you can use to mock-up the user’s experience. Being able to easily portray the flow of a project is crucial to presenting a design to a client as they can see how it will work instead of just a static image. XD also introduced a tool called the Repeat Grid which automatically replicates lists, photos, and other elements. Assets are also super easy to use with the inclusion of an Asset panel so edits to one instance are applied across the whole project. Collaboration is readily available in a few steps as users can share wireframes and mockups easily. There is even a co-editing feature where you can work on a project at the same time as other members. Users can send developers automatically generated design specs where they can extract everything they need in various different file formats.

Constantly Changing

One of the most exciting things about Adobe XD is that the developers are constantly adding new updates based on feedback from XD users. There have been 20 releases of new features and enhancements since the launch two years ago. Some examples include overlay support, asset renaming, timed transitions, voice triggers and speech, and a plugins panel. They’ve even added support for gamepad triggers so you can make prototypes for gaming consoles. The most recent update this month added blend modes, new keyboard shortcuts, updated collaboration integrations, and more. All of these new features continue to allow designers to have more access to presenting impressive and engaging content to clients. 

Conclusion

At AVX Digital, we’re excited to have integrated Adobe XD into our creative services process. It has allowed us to save time and collaborate even more within the creative team. We are looking forward to seeing how XD continues to improve and evolve. Contact us today to see how we use XD to strengthen your brand and other creative needs.