How to Learn Adobe XD Online

If you’re just starting to learn a new skill, you can find dozens of tips and resources online; learning Adobe XD is no different.Adobe XD is a user-experience design tool that lets creatives build wireframe designs of web pages and then convert those designs into working prototypes. These prototypes are used to test the functionality and accessibility of a webpage, giving designers the feedback they need to perfect their interfaces. If you’ve always wanted to learn Adobe XD, there are plenty of options at your fingertips. From free tutorials to live classes, your options are outlined here so you can decide how to learn in a way that works best for you.

What is Adobe XD?

Adobe XD is Adobe’s vector-based user interface design tool. XD was designed to address Photoshop’s and Illustrator’s inadequacies as web design tools, and as such, XD is built entirely with user interface design in mind. Users can build vector-based wireframes for websites and share them with other users as functional prototypes of webpages, allowing users to test their own web designs for future iterations. Links, animations, voice responsiveness, and automated scrolling features let users model working websites with complex and interactive features, and collaborative tools allow teams of designers to work together on building web designs.

Adobe XD is one of the newest additions to the Adobe Creative Cloud, and like most Creative Cloud programs, it is designed with heavy Creative Cloud integration in mind. Users can import Photoshop and Illustrator designs and assets as parts of their UI designs, and Adobe InDesign is an ideal tool for building sketches of web pages. Unlike other Adobe Creative Cloud software, XD is still a relatively new tool, meaning that it doesn’t have the decades of iteration and releases that Photoshop and its ilk have received. This means that updates are frequently adding new tools, but it also means that the program hasn’t become an unchallenged industry standard yet.

Adobe XD is an ideal skill for web designers and UX/UI developers to learn as a dedicated web interface design tool. The ease with which it allows users to build working prototypes of web pages makes the process of testing and iterating on designs faster and more efficient than ever.

Read more about what Adobe XD is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Adobe XD?

Adobe XD is a versatile page layout design application that lets users build realistic, working prototypes of web layouts for testing and collaboration. The software lets users take basic shapes, designs, and applications and build them into vibrant and memorable web page designs. The program then lets users transform those designs into working prototypes within the application so that they may test and update their designs in real-time.

The ease with which Adobe XD allows creatives to build and test designs means that it is incredibly easy to produce a prototype, share it with other users to test the prototype's functionality, and receive feedback from those tests to return to the original design for iteration. This ease assures that designers aren’t having to undertake long, arduous processes every time they want to test a new iteration of a design, meaning that they can test more frequently and with more diverse groups of users.

Creatives who are interested in entering the world of web design and user experience design will greatly benefit from learning user interface design software like Adobe XD. Anyone already familiar with the Adobe Creative Cloud benefits even more from this training. The program is built to help users build the kinds of prototypes they were already using in older programs like Photoshop.

Live Online Adobe XD Training

Some students may find that they cannot attend an in-person training seminar or do not live in the area of their preferred seminar. These students may wish to consider live online training options. These live online courses allow students to receive professional instruction from skilled experts in the comfort of their own homes. Students will be able to receive personalized, in-the-moment feedback, and they can ask questions as problems arise.

Noble offers a variety of live online training options to help students find the course that is right for them. Novice students who want to learn the basics of Adobe XD quickly may wish to consider enrolling in the Adobe XD in a Day course. This class guides students through the program's basic features, such as how to build a wireframe interface layout and convert that layout into a working prototype. This introductory course lets students get a feel for XD without having to invest more than a day or two of study. Adobe XD Advanced offers students a place to build on this training and teaches students how to create more complex layouts and prototypes that include animations, voice responsiveness commands, and locked scroll groups. These courses can be taken together in the Adobe XD Bootcamp.

Noble also provides students with their Classes Near Me tool, which in addition to helping students find local options, allows them to compare different online options through service providers such as Ledet Training, ONLC, and Lumenbrite.

On-Demand Adobe XD Classes

Some students may find that their schedule does not allow them to attend a regularly scheduled, live training session. For these students, on-demand training options may be an alternative way to receive professional XD instruction. These courses let students dictate the pace of their own learning and let them set their learning goals as they go. Students who need to move faster or slower may find these courses to be preferable to live instruction, as they are not training at a set pace. Students interested in on-demand learning opportunities should consult Noble’s Online Class search tool.

The disadvantages of these courses are that students will be limited in the resources they have access to, and they will need to be more deeply self-motivated. Students may find it difficult to troubleshoot problems they are having without the aid of an instructor. Additionally, since there is no set schedule, it is easier to let training take a backseat to other responsibilities, making it easy to backslide or let skills get rusty.

Free Intro Courses & Tutorials

There are a handful of free courses and tutorials available for students who want to try out Adobe XD before committing to a long-term training course. Adobe offers a seven-day free trial of XD, during which time users can experiment with the full program and utilize Adobe’s in-app training tools.

During this free trial, users can take advantage of the free services offered by Noble. Noble offers a free Intro to Adobe XD tutorial video, which can be paired with Noble’s Intro to UI Design and Intro to UX Design recordings to give students a foundation in both XD as a program and the basics of designing applications for web users. Noble’s resources blog also offers students articles and interviews to help ease students into Adobe XD.

These free tutorials won’t replace professional training for students looking to make a career out of UX/UI design. Still, they will provide students with the basic training they need to feel more comfortable with XD before enrolling in a professional training program. In addition, the free trial period can be lined up with a shorter professional training course, such as InDesign in a Day, to assure that a student can access the program.

Read about more free Adobe XD videos and online tutorials.

Comparing Online Methods with In-Person Learning

Given the number of options available to students, picking the right XD training course can seem difficult. It might seem overwhelming between in-person and online options and live and asynchronous options. However, prospective students may want to consider some key differences between the options.

Live courses tend to be the most engaging and in-depth training options available, allowing students to interact directly with expert instructors. Students will receive feedback and guidance directly from instructors there to help them succeed. However, these courses tend to be the most expensive options and offer little scheduling flexibility beyond waiting for an available course to open.

Live in-person courses offer opportunities for networking and interfacing, but they are often location restricted. Online courses can be taken from virtually anywhere but can be isolating. The differences between the two options aren’t huge, but it is worth considering how important it is to be in the same room as other like-minded students when deciding between an online and an in-person XD course.

On-demand courses are ideal for students who need to be more flexible with their schedule or who want to be able to practice XD at their own pace. On-demand courses come in a number of forms, meaning students can more easily browse to find the right course for them. The drawback to these courses is that they lack an instructor to help guide students through difficult sections. This means that students will be on their own when it comes to finishing assignments, completing modules, or troubleshooting difficult concepts.

Tips to Succeed when Learning Adobe XD Online

Online learning requires students to adapt to new sets of challenges and obstacles. Students will need to take more direct control over their learning environment, they will need to maintain the systems they are learning XD on, and they need to learn how to troubleshoot their own problems, particularly if they are using free or on-demand learning tools.

One of the hidden advantages to taking an in-person training course is that students won’t have to acquire or maintain any of the tech that they are working with (there are also hidden disadvantages to in-person training courses, like the added cost of a commute). Most online learning programs don’t provide users with software, and virtually none of them will provide students with hardware. Students will need to make sure that they have access to XD through a Creative Cloud subscription, and they should be ready to respond to system failures. No one wants to miss a day of their XD bootcamp because their computer malfunctioned.

Similarly, students should be aware of the learning environment in which they will be doing their online training. While it is nice to be able to learn XD from the comfort of your own home, some students may find it makes it too easy to become distracted. In-person classrooms are designed to minimize outside distractions and interference, so students will need to consider doing the same in their own home classrooms. Likewise, some students think that learning online makes multitasking easier because it is an option available to them. Students should resist the urge to do other things while they are learning online.

On-demand courses and other learning opportunities that lack a live instructor will come with their own set of challenges. Students will need to self-motivate and keep themselves on pace, which can be hard for students who aren’t used to this kind of learning. An important aspect of learning a new skill is practicing it, and some students may find it easier to fall behind on their practice without a firm schedule being set by a live instructor.

Additionally, in classes without live instructors, students will have to try and learn XD without directed feedback, which can be a challenge. When a student runs into a problem with their work or a concept they don’t understand, they will have to turn elsewhere to clear up the issue. Sometimes, this can be difficult, as it can be hard to determine whether or not alternative solutions are going to be helpful or even accurate.

Finally, students should try and take advantage of online course resources like free retakes. Many online courses can be taken again after a student has finished the course. This allows them to hone their skills and work on the things that are challenging them. These retakes will also help students build their own design portfolios, and they can be of particular use for students learning XD since they can return to the class having shared and tested their prototypes.

Key Insights

• Adobe XD is Adobe’s dedicated user experience design software, and it is used by UX/UI designers to build layouts and prototypes for webpage and digital application interfaces.
• Since live, in-person training is often restricted by location, students who are seeking alternative ways to receive training in Adobe XD may wish to consider online training courses.
• Online courses range from live instruction courses mirroring in-person instruction to self-paced module-driven on-demand courses.
• Each type of online training program comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and students should think carefully when choosing a course.
• Adobe gives new users a seven-day free trial of XD, during which time prospective students may wish to take advantage of Noble’s free online tutorials and seminars to see if further live, online training is right for them.
• Noble offers an array of live, online training courses, ranging from brief introductions to Adobe XD to career-focused professional development certificate programs aimed at aspiring Digital Designers or Web Designers.

Learn Adobe XD with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble offers a number of online options for Adobe XD training. For novice users, the Adobe XD in a Day course provides students with training in the program's basic features, such as how to build a simple wireframe layout and collaborate with other designers. This course is designed to give students the required knowledge to learn more advanced XD skills at their own pace. Adobe XD Advanced offers students this advanced training, building on existing XD skills to teach students how to use scroll groups, animations, and sound effects to create dynamic and complex design prototypes. These courses can be taken together in the Adobe XD Bootcamp.

Noble also offers career-focused training through their Digital Design Certificate and Web Design Certificate programs. These immersive courses teach students the skills they will need in future careers as Digital Designers and Web Designers. The Digital Design Certificate program focuses more on web design's creative and visual side, teaching students how to design assets in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign to be imported into XD for use in a web layout. The Web Design Certificate focuses on the technical side of the field, teaching students how to code in HTML/CSS and JavaScript to turn their designs into functioning web interfaces.

These certificate programs teach students who want to enter the UX/UI design industry. They come with one-on-one career mentoring sessions and provide industry-recognized certificates of completion, confirming to prospective employers that graduates have received professional training in several important career skills. In addition, because they are hands-on courses, students will participate in practical design exercises and build their own sample designs or working prototypes to place in a sample design portfolio when they enter the job market.