[DESIGN]- Everything is too many clicks away... tools, panels, views, assets, libraries... etc

[Edu Couchez]

So... a thought after months trying to be efficient in my daily work: No usability on the "user journey" through usual tools, actions, views, interactions, etc, etc, etc... (not talking about the insane random way to manage assets/components… Atomic approach is almost impossible) To make it simple, here you go a list of frustrations and time killers. Later my proposals.

1. Docked panels 1: Each time I need to get a component I’ve to click to the assets tab…
   
   
2. Docked panels 2: Want to come back to layers?... click again (ad infinitum between both tabs)
   
   
3. Mess with layers: After some years working wit XD, I’m still double and triple clicking over the layer name and icon to alternatively select it or unfold folder.
   
   
4. Dozens of clicks to dig into: In Illustrator we have this useful “white pointer” to select individual elements inside complex hierarchy objects/layers. Here at XD, we have to be clicking for countless seconds until we pick up the right element in the hierarchy (as said in point 4, navigation through layers in  layers panel can be a pain. Sometimes we miss the right object, and have to start again from zero, clicking outside the layer, and starting to click again and again inside…
   
   
5. Fooling text tool: The ones that come from previous Adobe apps as Illustrator, the act of select a text and edit its contents is a matter of a quick doubleclicking. Why has XD to be different in the same cognitive process?! Doubleclicking creates a new text box over the previous one. So delete this one, and start again… my brain utilizes learned instinctive actions from Illustrator, so I finish creating endless text boxes.
   
   
6. Layers prevent from select the objects below: Clicking and clicking like a possessed trying to select something that is under a locked object, because in Illustrator I can do that. I’ve to manually hide all the layers above… starting again the hell of searching in the layer tab.

There are tons of other usability serious issues that convert a simple prototyping a headache and a waste of precious time… but really, I’m not the beta tester here, suppose there should be someone at Adobe with far better acknowledgement about usability than me.

Well… and about proposals. Now seeing all the list of issues written, and my time disposed, think it’s enough to ask for common sense and look for some good advices out there about usability and “cognitive friction”. Although by now, “un-dockable” or “floating” tabs/panels philosophy could help us to improve our work.

Thanks in advance.

{Renamed By MOD}

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi Edu_Couchez,

Thanks for reaching out and taking out time to share your valuable feedbacks. I'd like to inform you that among the multiple feedback shared here, there are certain requests which are already raised on the Adobe XD UserVoice page shared below: 

• For the feedback raised under 1st & 2nd points, I'd request if you can upvote this request: https://adobexd.uservoice.com/forums/353007-adobe-xd-feature-requests/suggestions/39904687-assets-pa...
• For the feedback under the 3rd, 4th and 6th points, we have an option to select the layer using CTRL/CMD + Click, to select the desired layer. It appears that you are not satisfied with the current workflow, I'd request you to submit your feedback here: https://adobexd.uservoice.com/forums/353007-adobe-xd-feature-requests
• For the feedback under the 5th point, you can edit the text by double-clicking on it. If that's not happening at your end, I'd request if you can share a small video to explain what exactly is happening at your end.

Regards

Rishabh

[Peter Villevoye · Accepted solution]

Hey, Edu_Couchez 🙂

That's quite a detailed list of complaints and requests you have put together ! And I bet that's even just a small dose of everything what you'd actually want to be overhauled... I totally agree with the general gist of your discomfort. Most of it has to do with three key aspects in Adobe XD's (and Adobe Dimension's) interface. Let me tell a bit about them, from my personal viewpoint. Not as an excuse, but as an explanation.

[1]  New Adobe applications are allowed to break with Adobe's decades-old Common User Interface of i.e. menubar, tools, and a zillion floating panels. The reason for that was to be able to adhere more closely to new design paradigms for touch interfaces, as introduced by Microsoft Windows 10. One of the general ideas behind it, is that users are used to changing interface panels nowadays, so the screen doesn't need to be crammed with floating panels which most of the time don't serve any function. Part of the available screen estate will be devoted to a spacious contextual panel, offering our fingertips ample room to hit stuff.

[2]  Now this would all be great, if only... the interface designers would not so fiercely or arbitrarily try to break with all tried and tested and still very valid conventions, just for the sake of doing things differently. They try to please beginners, who have no ties with old-school tools – which in essence is a very good approach. But they could consider cherry-picking a bit more or consistent from the past. (I could sum up dozens of stupid discrepancies and failing attempts to invent something new.) 

[3]  And finally, the Adobe XD team seems obsessed to bypass or at least follow suit with Sketch, and all its plugins, partners, and competitors. And I must say, XD is good at it ! But this priority is sucking up a lot of development resources. So as long as new features look right, seem ahead of others, and behave not too bad, it's a done deal. Revisting, fixing, and polishing features because they are buggy or simply suck, is an afterthought, which often doesn't get enough attention. Whenever there's a new feature, you can hear the fanfare, smell the food trucks, enjoy the hoopla ! But after that initial tantalizing sense, you'll notice the make-shift carpentry, smell the quick and dirty tricks, and suffer from bugs and flaws...

So in conclusion, the team has succeeded in breaking away from old habits, but I wish they would be more conscious in bringing in more wisdom and elegance in the UI, and more stability under the hood. This would certainly relieve much of your cognitive friction !

[iD3Z1GN]

I totally agree with you! The problem is Adobe is only 100% interested in NEW development NOT workflow improvements. This is why most requests by users are blatantly ignored - full stop. They have now bought Figma because the internal culture is based on what's new as opposed to creating a faster and more reliable workflow for it's users.

Word to Adobe: Most of us poor users also happen to run a business and deal with many client's businesses. This means our time and state of mind is critical to our well being. Stop ignoring the basics of a relaible and fast workflow!

- Thank you.