Version Control for Shared Prototypes
We need to have version control for prototypes so when developers are reviewing the prototype, they can look back at a previously shared versions of the prototype.
Zachary Newton
shared this idea
20 comments
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Aaron
commented
I just asked my designer about this, and as a developer that is tied at the hip to a repository to host my changes - NOT having this feature is a huge negative to me. On our team the design is the driving factor for our development. Not having it tracked with the code changes and releases breaks the traceability of versioning.
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briank
commented
A way to define how and when links contain a version number. Right now working with development teams it is easy to just update existing links without telling them and the files suddenly are changed. Would be nice to have an option to use automatic versioning in links. XD could automatically assign and update version numbers based on updates to the link. There should also be a notes field for documenting what changes went in to this design update and also a way to display that when sharing development links.
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Cecilia
commented
I totally agree with all the points made in this thread. It is so important.
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ghowarth
commented
This is an incredibly important feature in more robust version controlled areas of design - think medical devices. You have implemented the exact feature - ability to mark a document as a saved version - in the Cloud Document - yet not in the shared links where it is far more important. Here's the scenario. I release a version controlled PDF that is signed off by two people, in it there is a link to an AdobeXD spec share < that's fine - this link should be able to be permanently locked or at least retrievable. But what happens if I accidentally overwrite that link there is no feature to roll back to the version that is linked in the PDF (see Jeromie Clarks point below). I'm now in a total pickle with a link in a revision controlled document which links to a more recent design with no means of reverting to that version.
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Anonymous
commented
IMHO this feature is very useful. I'm wondering how other designers solving this issue without this feature. My work process looks like this currently:
- publish adobe xd link
- invite stakeholders to review mockups
- stakeholders put their comments on mockup A.v1 and C.v1
- I do changes on mockup A.v1 and C.v1
- update adobe xd link
- notify stakeholders about updates (would be nice if this happens automatically but this is another issue)
- stakeholders see modified mockup A.v2 and C.v2
- stakeholders want to compare previous versions but cannot do that
- I add previous mockup A.v1 and C.v1 from cloud history to the document -
Charlie
commented
XD needs to allow client feedback to be monitored.
Currently:
- Designs sent to client
- Client comments on XD link with changes.
- Design changes made and link is updated.
- Previous comments remain, but the design has changed. No reference to previous designs. Client cannot see what they were talking about, especially when using the pinned comments.
- Developer handoff link replaces design link, so client cannot see previous amends.Ideally...
XD should promote version/link control.
Ability to add lots of links (which would work as design review round 1, round 2 etc.) -
samah
commented
So the story is as follows. I created a link and shared it with clients and received many comments.
I removed art-boards and did some changes, and updated the link. But i lost all previous comments which i had to ask the client to rewrite the comments.
Having history for created links would work just fine
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Anonymous
commented
This would be great !! - at the moment we have to create multiple versions of a design document just so that we can share those versions different versions.
It gets pretty complicated manage these files and links -
Nick
commented
Any updates on this idea?
Seeing from the Shared Unified Link a previous version?
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Anonymous
commented
Basic like we have a revision history of the file is adobe creative cloud, we should have the ability to see the history of changes to prototypes.
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Julien Aramino
commented
Also it would be great to have the possibility to compare different versions of a screen. Side by side for example.
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Ceci Lia
commented
Version Control is key as part of our Quality System management. Without it, I need to look at other design tools.... which is a real shame.
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Jeromie Clark
commented
This. I'm managing QE efforts on internal projects, where Xd prototypes are the source of truth for UI validation.
Once I start doing any kind of certification testing based on those prototypes, I need to know that the reference prototype is locked down. Last minute tweaks are a reality, and I really need to be notified of any changes to the reference prototype, and to see some kind of audit trail that lets me know what changed and when. Visual history would be ideal, but even just a list of dates, committers and comments would be enough, in the event that I need to go back and understand why something failed (e.g. why did the prototype show one behavior, but we shipped with another, etc.)
Right now, I'm totally dependent on someone using an artificial process on the honor system (slack channel notifications, email, shoulder-tap), which means that we're fighting human nature on a process that will invariably break down under pressure.
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[Deleted User]
commented
I just noticed this Post is categorized at "Sharing on the web".
Nevertheless i think both parts, prototyping and sharing, should connect somewhere and maybe this way we would be able to have a backup as well as a more flexible way of handling different versions of the prototyp.
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[Deleted User]
commented
This would be such a great help.
Sharing my XD-files with other cloud users allows them to edit the original file which can be dangerous especially when I can't comprehend what changed during my last session. The possibility to jumb back to the XD-file 'last edited on dd.mm.yyyy' could be a lifesaver.
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Claudio
commented
Possibility to see the previous versions if you update the prototype link by mistake
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Jordan
commented
+100 Managing shared links is so difficult with XD. Due to how XD works currently, sometimes I need to create new links for prototypes, and this results in the old links becoming outdated. Since there's no way to redirect old links, managing old shared prototypes becomes untenable. If there was version control, it would allow me to make sure that everyone with a prototype link has the most recent version since the link would always be the same.
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Chuck Howard
commented
it has to be better than zeplin!
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Zachary Newton
commented
This is something that would be so beneficial! I need this for corporate projects.
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Grant Howarth
commented
Currently when sharing a link with a client if I make an update to the link it overwrites the last version shared. To resolve this I have to send out multiple links with different version numbers or dates on it. This runs the risk of a client/dev looking at an older outdated link or the most up to date link not being passed around all stakeholders.
It would be useful to have a 'design history' or 'version control' i.e. the ability to mark a spec as V1.0, V1.1, V1.2 or to revise it up to V2.0. in order to be able to track design changes.
So when a client is looking at version 2.0 then can also look back to version 1.1 (i.e. by clicking folders) - but mainly that the client always sees the most up to date link.