I had a “Why isn’t this a thing” moment earlier today while familiarizing myself with Adobe XD (Always Be Learning). I found a plugin for the app that installs a ToDo list into XD.
Why isn’t this just built into every design app ever?
The number of times I could’ve used a built-in ToDo list while working in Illustrator is too numerous to count. While I work, my mind tends to wander and I start executing little icons here and there. Before I know it I am designing a system of holiday-themed icons, where I started out developing a graphical treatment of health insurance data.
You can say it’s a lack of focus, but really it’s Illustrators fault for not having a ToDo list to keep me on task!
Yea, it’s totally that one.
Give me a ToDo List Adobe!
Photo by Mika Novo on Unsplash
Jokes aside, the practical applications of building native ToDo lists into applications are numerous. For a platform like XD, having a readymade list of tasks can help a design focus on a set number of goals, not to mention give a design manager a checklist of completed changes to a project. Don’t get me started on linking the actual tasks to where they are completed within the document.
I currently use Microsoft’s To Do, a holdover from my days with Wunderlist (I miss you). It’s a fine list app and it syncs with all my devices. However, I can’t bring myself to create lists for my day-to-day tasks in that app. I usually resort to jotting things down in my notebook (how cool is paper, folks?) or relying on the old brain to recall my changes. At work, thankfully, my team has set up Asana to manage our tasks and keep me honest.
All that is to say, I would love to have a list of changes, feedback, or new features in a tab in Illustrator or Photoshop. Outside of everything else, it’s a convenience that is pretty lightweight to implement. How do I know? Because someone built a plugin that does it for XD.
So why isn’t it just a thing?
Let’s talk about ToDo Lists!
A candid picture of me not reading comments on the internet.
I’m kidding, you don’t want to talk to me about that. But we can discuss how I can help you, your brand, or your products level up. Let’s talk about it. Or check out my other features.
