Adobe XD was launched in 2016, directly targeting Sketch, a UI/UX vector editor. It is a type of user interface builder and marketed by Adobe as a vector-based UI/UX design tool. Used for making web and mobile apps, it is one of the most popular suites of software available in the market now. Adobe’s name and reputation in the market proved beneficial for it, with its features made it an instant favourite.
In the initial versions, many features of Adobe XD, like the use of the layers were limited to the Mac version only. Now with the latest version released on November 4, 2019, there is virtually very little separating the two versions.
History of Adobe XD
Adobe XD is short for Adobe Experience Design. Adobe gave us a hint about creating a new set of tools related to vector-based UI/UX editing at the Adobe Max conference in October 2015. Code-named “Project Comet” the beta product was released for Windows 10 on December 13, 2016. Subsequent versions were released until the final version, which was unveiled late last year.
Advanced Adobe XD Features
Web designers look to create the perfect ambience for the visitors of a website that can captivate their imagination. The UI/UX aspect is one of the primary aspects of this concern so that design or video can get the eyeballs. The features are aplenty in Adobe XD that both intermediate and expert designers can easily use. Below is a brief explanation of some of the features which designers can use to create the mind-boggling user experience.
Welcome Screen
By using the Adobe Screen aptly, you can make things perfect for you by creating projects based on web or handheld devices. The use of custom dimensions is one aspect that is the key here.
Repeat Grid
This is probably one of the most important and most used features of Adobe XD. This feature lets you repeat elements quickly and make designers explore new vistas in the design aspect. By clicking on the repeat grind button, a handle enables you to repeat items horizontally or vertically.
Margins can be adjusted, and properties can be repeated with the content remaining as it is or changed, according to the designer’s requirement.
Pen Tool
Pen tool has been updated multiple times over the years, and now it has been polished to perfection. To quickly draw paths, it is one of the best tools available in any UX editor. Furthermore, the addition, movement, and removal of different points and also the edit properties make this a tool that helps designers a lot.
Drawing a shape to suit a website’s home page or landing page, for example, is not an issue anymore. And one significant advantage now is that you can now import vector objects that you import into Adobe XD and use them in your design without much fuss. All in all, it is a great design tool to fit multiple aspects.
Integration with Adobe Creative Cloud Apps
Adobe knows that a seamless workflow is sought by every designer. That’s why Adobe XD has come up with a perfect answer to this concern. New features have deeper integration so that other popular design tools from Adobe suite like Photoshop and Illustrator can be used. Turning the app files is also now easy. More on prototypes will be discussed in the next section.
Interactive Prototypes
A prototype is something that is an early sample or release of a product built to test a concept or process. When we talk about interactions in prototypes concerning Adobe XD, there are many aspects for which it offers great support to the designers.
With a variety of customized settings, including target, transition, and timing to test and preview, Prototyping is something that can make a designer preview what is about to come. Before finalizing anything, a prototype can save costs. Adobe XD also offers designers options about previewing interactive prototypes on mobile devices too.
PDF Export Feature
Previous versions of Adobe XD offer users to save files in PNG and SVG formats. But now users can save files in PDF too. Now multiple artboards can be exported as a single PDF file. Furthermore, copying and pasting of functions from the File Explorer are also updated in the latest versions.
Audio Interactions Gets Enhanced
It was one of the features which users were anxiously waiting for, and now it is available in the latest version. Adobe XD now offers users to add narration to prototypes while recording. This is a great new feature that allows audio to be merged with prototypes for easy understanding by the end-users.
For remote teams or when clients are based in another city or country, this feature comes really handy.
Additional Language Support
The additional language support is what designers for a variety of purposes. Adobe XD now supports seven languages, namely English, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Brazilian and Portuguese. Spanish and Brazilian are two languages that have recently been added, and now hundreds and thousands of more designers now have the option of designing in their native language.
In addition, the features of voice recognition and speech playbacks mean designers can now fully prototype experiences, like interactive voice experiences.
View Comments Across Artboards
This is a brilliant feature that has made checking emails after every while a thing of the past. Now anyone can turn on the “View all comments” feature from the Adobe XD commenting panel for all the feedback across all artboards. Comments can be pinned on specific areas according to the requirement of the designer or the end-user. With a single click, the person will be taken to the artboard location to reply or resolve the reported issue.
Eyedropper
The eyedropper tool is one of the most important ones as it helps designers easily access which colour they need to apply. In the new version, it has become easier to access it as a shortcut is now available. After selecting an object, simply type “i” and eyedropper will appear in an instant.
Plugins Galore
Excellent and relevant plugins make life easy for a designer. In the latest version of Adobe XD, there are a host of plugins available, as many as 100, and many more to come as new plugins are added virtually every week. So, now with Adobe XD, you don’t think about importing a plugin or somehow design a UX for a website. Now, you can use a plugin and customize it according to your requirements.
Final Word
We all know that UX can make or break a website. Any visitor who gets hooked up on the UX of a website will definitely try to browse through the whole site. This is the ultimate goal for a designer, as he needs to be on top of his game. Adobe XD is one of many such UX vector editors available but one of the most popular ones.
The use of Adobe XD fulfils the requirement of the end-user and creates a great UX for them. Either you are looking for website designing in Dubai, Asian countries or Europe, designers prefer using Adobe XD to their advantage.
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