Which Adobe XD Training Format Is Right for Me?

Adobe XD is a user experience design tool that is an ideal skill for both novice Web Designers and aspiring professionals to learn. Users can utilize templates, wireframe features, and vector graphics drawing tools to create complex interface layouts for webpages and digital applications. Then, those layouts can be converted into working prototype interfaces and shared with other users for collaboration and testing. When comparing types of Adobe XD training, there are many factors to consider. Everyone learns differently, and choosing the right kind of training is critical to your experience.

Keep reading to learn more about the different formats of Adobe XD training, how they compare, and how to determine which is 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.

Training Formats for Adobe XD

Several different training options are available for students who want to learn XD. There are live instruction courses, which are available both in-person and online. These are the most immersive but also the least flexible options. Self-paced on-demand courses exist for students looking for more openness in their learning schedule. Free resources are available for students looking for basic introductions to the material.

In-Person Adobe XD Training

One of the best ways to learn Adobe XD is through live, in-person training seminars. These courses offer students the opportunity to receive one-on-one professional instruction in the features of XD and the philosophies behind user experience design. These courses are often taught by professional user interface designers whose industry experience makes them ideally positioned to give students career-focused training in Adobe Illustrator.

The availability of in-person instruction will depend on where a student lives. Noble offers help with finding local options with their Classes Near Me tool. Most major training providers are located in or around large cities, particularly New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle. Noble itself offers line in-person instruction at their New York City location.

Students may also wish to inquire with local community colleges, libraries, and other post-high school training centers to see if they offer in-person instruction in Adobe XD.

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.

Free Online 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.

Outside of Noble’s many free tutorials, students may wish to consider looking at other sources for free tutorials. YouTube offers a wide variety of free video tutorials, letting new users choose the kinds of videos that they feel provide the best instruction. Noble’s videos tend to be lengthier and built to replicate an online learning environment, and some students may prefer shorter, more narrowly focused videos.

Adobe also provides students with a number of free introductory tutorials that can help them begin basic projects in XD. Beyond Adobe’s free tutorials, many training providers offer students similar free introductory tutorials and online courses. These offerings will vary depending on the provider and their particular style of instruction, but these are useful places to consider exploring at the beginning of a user’s XD training.

On-Demand Classes

For many students, hands-on instruction is the best way to learn a new skill. Live Adobe XD training is available both in-person and online, and Noble’s Classes Near Me Tool can help students locate live and online learning opportunities available to them. These live courses let students interact directly with their instructors and receive personalized feedback on their work. Hands-on learning exercises will help students master Adobe XD and prepare them for a career in web design.

On-demand courses are also available for students looking for a more flexible schedule to learn XD. These courses let students dictate the pace of their training, which can be ideal for students who have obligations that prevent them from attending in-person classes. These courses will require students to be self-motivated, as they won’t be provided tailored feedback. Students interested in on-demand learning options can utilize Noble’s website to search for on-demand XD courses.

There are also a number of free tutorials and training options available. Noble’s XD Learn page and the Web Design and Development playlist on their official YouTube channel provide users with free articles, tutorials, and videos to help them learn XD. These resources won’t be enough to replace more professional training options, but they are ideal places to begin learning XD basics.

Read the full guide on how to learn Adobe XD.

Comparison of Adobe XD Training Formats

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.

Is it Possible to Teach Yourself Adobe XD?

Some students may wonder if they even need to consider professional instruction when they could try and self-teach themselves XD. While self-teaching XD is certainly an option for learning the basics of the program and using it for personal use, anyone trying to learn the program at a professional level will find self-teaching to be very difficult.

Having an instructor will help students understand and work through the obstacles in their XD training, while self-taught users will have to turn to alternate sources to troubleshoot problems. This can cause problems both for students who don’t know where to look and for students who find material that is either outdated, inaccurate, or poorly written. There is a lot of content online for people who want to learn XD, but it can be difficult to judge the value and accuracy of a lot of that content when you don’t have a support structure to fall back on.

How to Decide the Best Way to Learn Adobe XD

Deciding the best way to learn Adobe XD can feel overwhelming as so many different options are available. The key, however, is first to gauge what you plan on doing with XD to determine how much training you’ll need.

Students who are only looking for an introduction to XD may want to consider taking advantage of free resources like the ones available through Noble’s XD Learn page and the Web Design and Development playlist on their official YouTube channel. These tutorials won’t replace professional skills training for students looking to use XD professionally, but for users who want to experiment with web design layout, they are a great first step.

Students looking to get a strong working knowledge of Adobe XD, grow their resume with a new skill, or complement another professional skill such as Photoshop may wish to consider enrolling in a professional skills bootcamp. Bootcamps, like the Adobe XD Bootcamp, offered by Noble, give students live, hands-on training in building web layouts using XD. These courses tend to focus on single skills and are built to help students learn the specific functions of these programs.

Students looking to build a new career or branch out into a new field will want to consider more intensive skills training through a professional certificate program. Noble’s Digital Design Certificate program and Web Design Certificate program both provide students with hours of in-depth training, one-on-one career mentoring, and practical exercises designed to build necessary skills. While both will help designers looking to build websites, the Digital Design Certificate program is focused on graphic design and teaches the creative skills required to build dynamic and memorable web assets. The Web Design certificate program focuses on front end web development and teaches students the coding skills required to turn prototypes into functioning web and digital applications.

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.