Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD - Dashboard Approaches Compared

Dashboard Mode - Figma vs Sketch vs Adobe XD

Goal

Compare the popularity and user ratings of Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD to help a design team choose the best tool.

Sample Data

Tool	Users (Thousands)	Average Rating (out of 5)	Year Released
Figma	400	4.7	2016
Sketch	300	4.5	2010
Adobe XD	250	4.3	2017

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Total Users = 950, formula: SUM of Users column (400+300+250)
• Bar Chart: Users by Tool, shows 400 for Figma, 300 for Sketch, 250 for Adobe XD
• Bar Chart: Average Rating by Tool, shows 4.7 for Figma, 4.5 for Sketch, 4.3 for Adobe XD
• Table: Detailed data table showing all columns

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+-----------------------+
|      KPI Card        |   Users by Tool Chart  |
|  Total Users: 950    |  (Bar chart)           |
+----------------------+-----------------------+
|   Rating by Tool Chart                      |
|   (Bar chart)                               |
+--------------------------------------------+
|   Detailed Data Table                       |
+--------------------------------------------+
  

Interactivity

A filter to select a specific tool (Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD) updates the bar charts and the detailed data table to show only the selected tool's data. The KPI card updates to show the users count for the selected tool.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Tool = 'Sketch', which components update?

• KPI Card updates to show 300 users.
• Users by Tool bar chart shows only Sketch with 300 users.
• Average Rating bar chart shows only Sketch with 4.5 rating.
• Detailed data table shows only the Sketch row.

Key Result

Dashboard compares Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD by users and ratings with interactive filtering.

Practice

1. Which design tool is best known for real-time collaboration and works on multiple platforms?

easy

A. InVision

B. Sketch

C. Adobe XD

D. Figma

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand collaboration features

   Figma allows multiple users to work on the same design file simultaneously online.

2. Step 2: Check platform support

   Figma works on Windows, Mac, and even in browsers, unlike Sketch which is Mac-only.

3. Final Answer:

   Figma -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Collaboration + cross-platform = Figma [OK]

Hint: Collaboration + cross-platform = Figma [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Sketch as cross-platform
• Thinking Adobe XD has better collaboration
• Choosing InVision which is not in the list

2. Which of the following is a correct statement about Sketch?

easy

A. Sketch is available on Windows and Mac.

B. Sketch is ideal for Mac users who want powerful plugins.

C. Sketch supports real-time collaboration natively.

D. Sketch integrates best with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify platform availability

   Sketch is only available on Mac, not Windows.

2. Step 2: Check plugin support

   Sketch has a strong ecosystem of plugins, making it powerful for Mac users.

3. Final Answer:

   Sketch is ideal for Mac users who want powerful plugins. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Mac + plugins = Sketch [OK]

Hint: Mac-only + plugins = Sketch [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Sketch works on Windows
• Thinking Sketch has built-in collaboration
• Confusing Adobe integration with Sketch

3. If a designer wants to use Adobe Creative Cloud apps and needs a cross-platform design tool, which tool fits best?

medium

A. Adobe XD

B. Sketch

C. Figma

D. Affinity Designer

Solution

1. Step 1: Check Adobe integration

   Adobe XD integrates well with Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop and Illustrator.

2. Step 2: Confirm cross-platform support

   Adobe XD works on both Windows and Mac, unlike Sketch which is Mac-only.

3. Final Answer:

   Adobe XD -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Adobe integration + cross-platform = Adobe XD [OK]

Hint: Adobe apps + cross-platform = Adobe XD [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Sketch for cross-platform
• Confusing Figma with Adobe integration
• Selecting unrelated tools like Affinity Designer

4. A user tries to open a Sketch file on Windows but it fails. What is the most likely reason?

medium

A. Sketch is Mac-only software and does not run on Windows.

B. Sketch files require Adobe XD to open on Windows.

C. The Sketch file is corrupted and cannot open anywhere.

D. Windows needs a special plugin to open Sketch files.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand platform compatibility

   Sketch is designed only for Mac OS and does not have a Windows version.

2. Step 2: Analyze file opening failure

   Trying to open Sketch files on Windows fails because the software is unavailable, not due to corruption or plugins.

3. Final Answer:

   Sketch is Mac-only software and does not run on Windows. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Sketch Mac-only = Windows open fail [OK]

Hint: Sketch Mac-only means no Windows support [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming Adobe XD can open Sketch files
• Blaming file corruption without checking platform
• Thinking Windows plugins fix Sketch file issues

5. A team uses Mac and Windows computers and wants a design tool that supports plugins, Adobe integration, and real-time collaboration. Which tool should they choose?

hard

A. Sketch

B. Adobe XD

C. Figma

D. Photoshop

Solution

1. Step 1: Check cross-platform support

   Figma works on Mac, Windows, and browsers, supporting all team members.

2. Step 2: Evaluate collaboration and plugins

   Figma offers real-time collaboration and has plugin support, though Adobe XD also supports plugins and Adobe integration.

3. Step 3: Compare Adobe integration

   Adobe XD has Adobe integration but lacks the same level of real-time collaboration as Figma.

4. Final Answer:

   Figma -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Cross-platform + collaboration + plugins = Figma [OK]

Hint: Cross-platform + collaboration + plugins = Figma [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Sketch which is Mac-only
• Picking Adobe XD missing real-time collaboration
• Selecting Photoshop which is not a UI design tool