Are Product Managers Still Using Axure? Insights from Three Professionals

Background

The author, a product manager working on B‑to‑B projects, notes that Axure and MoDao are increasingly cumbersome for client communication because clients often cannot interpret prototypes and internal stakeholders delay feedback until leadership approves.

Shift to Low‑Code Delivery

To address this, the team now uses low‑code platforms for rapid adjustments, allowing immediate visual changes when users request revisions. In SaaS scenarios, tools like DingTalk and Qingliu are used, while private‑cloud customers may adopt JVS. Technical work becomes a supplement rather than the primary driver of delivery.

Tool Comparison for High‑Fidelity Prototypes

For high‑fidelity needs, Sketch is recommended over both Axure and MoDao, which struggle with high‑fidelity output. MoDao excels at mobile demos but is PC‑unfriendly; it can be useful for non‑technical stakeholders. Axure, while heavier on PC, offers many ready‑made components for both mobile and desktop.

The author finds MoDao’s usability, collaboration, and component library superior to Axure, yet many enterprises have no strict tool requirements—choices are often dictated by company policy or personal habit.

Common Axure Layout Problems

Two main issues cause layout errors in Axure:

Font incompatibility: Some fonts used in Axure are unavailable in Chrome, and Chrome enforces a minimum font size of 12 pt. Using smaller fonts leads to mis‑rendered text.

Inconsistent line‑break logic and line‑height: Axure may display text without a line break, while Chrome inserts one due to differing pixel‑size calculations.

Practical Solutions

Ensure all font sizes are 12 pt or larger.

Avoid placing excessive text within a single component; split long paragraphs into separate text boxes.

When designing in Axure, leave a margin on the right side of a line to control wrapping, either by widening or narrowing the text box.

Final Thoughts

Tool selection ultimately depends on personal preference and project requirements. The primary purpose of a requirements document is clear communication with developers. If forced to choose, the author prefers MoDao for its ease of use, though acknowledges its design shortcomings and the extra effort required to adapt to it.