Drafting persona

[Beverly Landscape]

A feature that I would really like to see for Affinity Designer is creating a drafting persona. The persona feature is such a powerful tool for customizing the interface for different users and I think it could do more. A drafting persona would be a huge bonus for all the people who need accurate drawings like architects, landscape architects, interior designers, pattern makers etc. while at the same time keeping those features out of the way of the graphic designers. You have done such great work already incorporating some very nice drafting tools (thank you!) and this feels like a logical extension of that.
One of the things I like best about Affinity Designer is the uncluttered interface, but as more features are added there is a danger of this being lost. A drafting persona would be a great way to add new tools and features without cluttering up the existing designer layout.
I haven't  suggested this before because it's obviously a big undertaking but now seemed like a good time.

Good luck! Affinity software is great!

David

[walt.farrell]

What functions and tools would this Persona need?

[Bryan Rieger]

I could see lots of different verticals each looking for specific personas in time, where tools specific to their needs and workflows are readily available (gaming, film, architecture, landscaping, etc).

The problem is that implementing these each as separate personas would really bloat the overall UX of all of the apps. I’d much rather see vertical specific tools implemented as installable plug-ins, extensions, scripts, etc when the SDK is available.

Bonus points if it would be possible to implement an entirely new persona via a plug-in or extension. Enabling those users that require it to install it, and also creating an ecosystem where 3rd parties could create extensions for the Affinity apps catering to specific verticals.

[Beverly Landscape]

Hi Walt

The often requested dimensioning tool would be top of my list. Also some kind of Reveal Geometry setting to show centerlines, foci of ovals and centers of circles. Being able to draw two parallel lines of different weight at once. I don't use them but hatches and other fills are a common feature.

The other aspect, besides new tools, is a difference of emphasis. Graphic design is primarily visual in approach while drafting is usually numeric. So making that aspect prominent would be a big part of the persona.

 

David

[Old Bruce]

On 4/10/2024 at 11:45 AM, Beverly Landscape said:

centers of circles.

Ah, that is a problem. Affinity doesn't make actual circles.

[fde101]

21 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

Ah, that is a problem. Affinity doesn't make actual circles.

Then it would be another related feature request...  ideally with its own thread, like each feature request should have.

The notion of a drafting persona kind of makes sense if you are trying to use Affinity Designer as a poor man's CAD application (in spite of there being *real* CAD applications which are even free and open source).  When working with a CAD program there is a difference in how you interact with tools to accomplish the same things as you would do with the tools we already have.

For example, in a typical drawing program, you create a circle either by dragging out from the center, or by dragging from one corner of its bounding box to another.

In a CAD application, you might also create a circle by specifying two or three arbitrary points on the circle, or create a line by telling the application to run parallel or perpendicular to an existing line or shape and give it a point along the line.

Adding stuff like this would not be unreasonable in and of itself, but it may create some expectation that other aspects of a CAD application will be covered, and I'm not sure Serif really wants to get into that market segment on top of everything else they are doing.

I would not be opposed to it, but I don't know that I can really support it either unless Serif comes out and indicates this is something they want to involve themselves with and that they are going to take precision more seriously (among other requirements for proper CAD).

In my opinion, if you want software that works like a CAD application, you should use a CAD application, which Affinity Designer is not.

[Beverly Landscape]

I was not thinking of this as a true CAD interface, such as engineers use, but more for people who need a reasonable amount of accuracy but at the same time a drawing that looks good. The looking good part eliminates most CAD programs.

 

For instance, I'm a landscape designer and I need to be able to draft out a clients landscape plan quickly and easily but then, because the drawing is in part a marketing document, it needs to look terrific. This is where Affinity designer's capabilities really shine. Once the client approves the design it's back to drafting to create more technical drawings like layout plans etc.

 

I think there is a similar workflow for other professionals who are using Affinity designer to make plans for things that will be created in another medium.

 

David

[Nicolas_B]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:27 PM, Beverly Landscape said:

I was not thinking of this as a true CAD interface, such as engineers use, but more for people who need a reasonable amount of accuracy but at the same time a drawing that looks good. The looking good part eliminates most CAD programs.

 

For instance, I'm a landscape designer and I need to be able to draft out a clients landscape plan quickly and easily but then, because the drawing is in part a marketing document, it needs to look terrific. This is where Affinity designer's capabilities really shine. Once the client approves the design it's back to drafting to create more technical drawings like layout plans etc.

 

I think there is a similar workflow for other professionals who are using Affinity designer to make plans for things that will be created in another medium.

 

David

Thank you David, I am in the exact same Situation: I'm an urban planner, so I need high precision, but it must also look good. 

CAD programs are not suited for anything that's supposed to "well designed". 

We would only need a fraction of CAD functionality, just some core basics:

There could be a "CAD drafting mode" option, which would be disabled by default.

With "CAD drafting mode" enabled you would be able to draw lines, polylines, circles, rectangles etc with CAD precision:

- connecting lines into polylines

- cut or extend intersecting lines

- offset lines or polylines with a precise distance

- stretch objects in one or multiple axis with exact values 

- etc. 

This would also enable us to import or export dwg or dxf files without any lost information. 

This really wouldn't make Affinity Designer a CAD program, it would just provide an alternative way to create lines, polylines etc. with more precision. 

 

I am convinced that many people like Urban planners, architects etc. would love this - basically everyone who works in an environment where there need to be good looking graphics of something and then a technical drawing of the same thing afterwards. 

Kind regards 

Nicolas

[PaoloT]

An alternative could be adding secondary tools to the Tools palette, and other parameter panes. A dedicated Studio layout could give preeminence to these panes.

Paolo

 

[Beverly Landscape]

Thank you Nicholas B!

Obviously I agree with you. And I think that now is the time to be exploring these ideas. With the recent acquisition by Canava one can assume that the more casual user will migrate to their products, so Affinity needs to be thinking of how it can make its offerings more appealing to a  professional audience. I think new personas would be an excellent way to do this.

Best,

David

[Pšenda]

On 4/10/2024 at 6:04 PM, Bryan Rieger said:

I could see lots of different verticals each looking for specific personas in time, where tools specific to their needs and workflows are readily available (gaming, film, architecture, landscaping, etc).

The advantage of Person is that the user can customize the workspace according to his ideas and according to the needs of the task - he can adjust the available tools in the tools panel and the layout/visibility of individual panels/studies. The Personas are already given in advance - and have a purpose selected by Serif, which then modifies the availability of functions and individual panels. Due to the wide range of possible uses, see your list, perhaps it would be appropriate for Affinity to offer a single User Persona that the user could configure exactly according to his needs and ideas.

[PaoloT]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:27 PM, Beverly Landscape said:

I was not thinking of this as a true CAD interface, such as engineers use, but more for people who need a reasonable amount of accuracy but at the same time a drawing that looks good.

I will add, in my own experience: mechanical drawings that are an hassle to make with a CAD, and often translate badly as a drawing to be used in a publication, while they would be fantastic with a drafting tool based on something like Designer.

I think that CorelDraw has something like this, and is beloved by many industrial designers.

Paolo