The Innovation Show The Great Reshuffle Why Adobe Couldnt Beat Figma Howard Yu Sangeet Paul Choudary
Oct 14, 2025
Howard Yu, a professor and author of 'Leap,' explores how companies adapt to technological shifts. Sangeet Paul Choudary, author of 'Reshuffle,' discusses the dynamic nature of digital business models. Together, they analyze why Adobe couldn't outpace Figma, emphasizing how collaboration is now integral to business strategy. They delve into the impact of AI on value creation and discuss how organizations must transition from service-oriented models to networked orchestration. Learn insights on redefining boundaries and the future of work!
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Cloud Shift Was An Organizational Rewrite
- Adobe's move from boxed software to cloud subscriptions was a full organizational rewiring, not just a pricing change.
- Shifting to subscription forced new product cadences, sales incentives, and direct user relationships across the company.
Element-Level Architecture Beats File Logic
- Figma's architecture addresses elements inside files instead of whole design files, enabling reuse and governance across workflows.
- That element-level model creates different partner integrations and unlocks organization-wide collaboration value.
Governance, Not Just Collaboration, Creates Value
- Managing elements enables organisation-wide governance, reducing coordination failures and ensuring brand consistency.
- Governance at the element level also changes who pays and which workflows capture the value.
