Abstract Announces Adobe Xd File Support and Momentum Around “Open Design” Movement

The Design Workflow Platform Is Fundamentally Changing How Teams like Microsoft Collaborate and Deliver Digital Products

Abstract, the design workflow platform that powers thousands of product design teams, announced that Adobe XD files can now be versioned and managed alongside Sketch files. Abstract’s integration with Adobe XD, which has been in private beta since July, is now available as a public beta.

The expansion of the XD integration into public beta comes on the heels of a successful private beta, where Abstract saw thousands of companies registering to participate.

Launched in July 2017 to bring a git-inspired workflow to design operations, Abstract has raised more than $54 million in funding and become the catalyst for design transformation within companies like Cisco, Intuit, Salesforce, Zappos, Instacart, and thousands of others.

Organizations whose design teams demonstrate maturity in analytical leadership, cross functional talent, continuous iteration, & user experience have been shown to outperform industry benchmark growth by as much as two to one, according to a 2018 report from McKinsey.

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“When we set out to create an open design system within the Microsoft organization, the team at Abstract became a key partner in helping us achieve this goal,” says Damien Aistrope, Principal Designer, Microsoft Fluent Design System Studio. “Abstract has provided us with accuracy, accountability, and visibility to the larger design, PM, and engineering teams within Microsoft, and enabled us to grow design rapidly at scale. With Abstract, we’ve been able to unify our design language across multiple endpoints and create a cohesive product experience.”

Mature design organizations have become a competitive advantage, fueling the growth of the design tool market that supports them.

The problem Abstract is addressing is that the digital product design workflow, which includes developers, product managers, content strategists, and other stakeholders, is splintered across file management tools, buried within emails and Slack threads, or left to undocumented, offline conversations. A telephone game ensues and endless work-around-work abounds.

Abstract is pioneering a bold vision for truly open design — a world in which product teams can bring their toolkits into an organized and customizable ecosystem. From Sketch to now, Adobe XD files, Abstract is bringing all the key players in the design process in one central place where documentation can be created alongside the work, decisions can be tracked, and multiple explorations can be incorporated into a single source of truth.

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“Abstract is now a single source of truth for our UX team – there is never a question of who has the latest file or library anymore. With Abstract, we’ve been able to level-up our design workflow and streamline our review process, so everyone knows what’s approved to go out the door,” says Jimmy Ball, UX Manager – Out Of Store, 7-Eleven Digital.

Ultimately, Abstract enables stakeholders in the software design process to reclaim control of their workflow and optimize design operations in a version-controlled environment. While more design tools are investing in native version history and co-editing, Abstract’s git-based branching model supports more organized collaboration with a process that is scalable and repeatable.

“We have always believed that open design — everything from an open and observable workflow to open source design and tooling — is the future. And I’m excited that today, we’re making big strides towards making this future a reality with our public beta integration of Adobe XD,” says Josh Brewer, co-founder and CEO of Abstract. “To have companies like Microsoft validate the need for a more open workflow and partner with us to shape this future is incredibly exciting. We’re just getting started.”

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