Adobe XD : Digital Strategy

Problem

Adobe has lost significant presence in the UX and UI design market because Adobe XD could not keep pace with tools like Figma. Designers found Adobe’s tools fragmented, complex, and costly, which led many users to switch to more collaborative and affordable alternatives.

How I Identified the Problem

I conducted market research through industry reports, competitor analysis, and user discussions on platforms such as Reddit and Medium. Insights consistently showed dissatisfaction with Adobe XD’s lack of real-time collaboration, high subscription costs, and the need to switch between multiple tools to complete UX workflows.

Business Impact

Adobe currently lacks a competitive offering in the fast-growing UX and UI design space, which risks further market share loss and revenue decline. According to Harvard Business School research, improving customer retention by just 5 percent can increase profits by as much as 95 percent. By re-establishing a strong UX solution, Adobe can retain existing customers, attract new users, and expand its share of the design software market.

Strategy

My strategy is to reimagine Adobe XD as Adobe AX, a modern, integrated platform that combines UX research, journey mapping, heatmap-based testing, UI design, and prototyping within one workspace.

Key elements of the strategy include:

• Leveraging Adobe’s in-house AI technologies, such as Firefly and Sensei, along with computer vision to assist designers without replacing human creativity.

• Offering seamless integration with Adobe’s existing creative tools to enable end-to-end workflows for design professionals.

• Developing a role-based subscription model to make the platform more accessible to freelancers, students, and smaller businesses, while retaining professional-grade capabilities.

With this transformation, Adobe can position itself as the preferred choice for end-to-end design solutions, increase customer loyalty, and improve profitability by reducing churn and strengthening its ecosystem.