This blog post is about why I think Adobe® Creative Cloud™ has the potential to change the way we work, the problems it solves, and effect it may have on the way the traditional digital media businesses operates.

What is Creative Cloud?

Adobe® Creative Cloud™ is the digital hub that lets you download and install every Adobe Creative Suite® 6 application; access online services for file sharing, collaboration, and publishing; and benefit from new apps and features as soon as they’re released — giving you the freedom to create anything you can imagine.

A lot has already been said about the offering:

• I particularly like Cari Jansen’s post on why the Creative Cloud is great; and Scott Kelby’s Q&A should help you make informed decisions.
• There has been press coverage as well: ZDNET, ComputerWorld, and PCWorld to name a few.

At the heart of it, Adobe Creative Cloud it offers compelling value to designers.

But the more I think about it, I see it as an agent for change. As it rolls out and touches other parts of the digital media ecosystem, it has the potential to simplify business and streamlines operations. So that you can concentrate on doing what you do best: Design!

Offers compelling value

Typically, you use several tools and platforms in your day to day lives: Creative Suite Software, tablet applications, cloud storage such as DropBox or Google Drive etc. If you add up the cost of all software that you use, you’ll be way over the subscription cost for Adobe Creative Cloud.

So, in brief, Creative Cloud is:

• Creative Suite applications. All of them. You can install as many (or as few) as you want.
• Access to latest software. For example, Adobe Muse and Edge Preview.
• Adobe Touch tools for tablet devices
• Services such as  TypeKit, and Digital Publishing Suite
• Cloud storage

• Multi-platform. Yes, both Mac OS and Windows
• Integration between the various components. For details see the Creative Cloud product page.

For more information, head over to the Buying Guide and see how it stacks up.

Access to latest software

In today’s fast paced world where technology changes in the blink of an eye, you need the latest tools. The speed with which you adapt to new technologies plays a crucial role in how successful you are. Adobe Creative Cloud ensures that you’ll always have the latest and greatest software. As updates are released, they’ll reach you. If new software is added to the offering, it’ll reach you. You’ll never have to fork over extra cash for these new features, or wait for the next upgrade.

If you operate your own business, or talk to your accountants, you’ll also appreciate the simplicity of this model. No mores accounting hassles. No more additional purchase orders or invoices to track. No planned budget overruns.

Expand service offerings

Traditionally, folks specialized in particular arts or mediums. The video people are different from print guys, and web guys are ones with long beards in the basement hacking away at the keyboards, and tablet folks are geeks with all the Objective C and stuff.

Adobe Creative Cloud, in its own way erases these boundaries. (OK, does not erase them but lowers the barriers to entry.) You can now expand into adjacent markets, and offer services in areas that you earlier were not operating in. As there is no upfront cost of acquiring new software, it is less expensive for a print specialist to move into digital publications for tablet devices. (and maybe later evolve into video production). This also empowers you to create true multi-media deliverables that were expensive due to upfront software costs.

Adobe Creative Cloud, by leveling the field, will probably hot up some competition. All providers in the market will have access to the same tools.  And talent will shine through sooner, rather than later.

Remove fragmentation

If you’ve ever sent a file to the printing service, and have them call back and say that they can’t open the file, you already know what I’m talking about. Adobe Creative Cloud has the potential to standardize the entire ecosystem to the same version of software tools. You can continue to push the boundaries and operate on the cutting edge, safe in the knowledge that your designs can be opened by others. No one will ever complain about not being able to open the files, or god forbid open the file in a version higher than yours and effectively lock you out.

As the Creative Cloud concept picks up, I suspect that the entire tools and plugins ecosystem will also adopt this model. Your favorite plugin vendor will probably move to the subscription model and you’ll have access to the latest and greatest plugins. As software vendors won’t really have to spend all that time and effort maintaining old code, you’ll probably get more features and a bigger bang for your buck.

It’ll probably happen. It’s just a matter of time.

So, what do you think?

I’ve tried to elaborate on what I think the value proposition is—value to designers, and the industry as a whole. I’m sure there is more to think about, but this is enough for now.

• For questions you haven’t even thought of yet, see Creative Cloud FAQs. You’ll probably find an answer there.
• Looking for some more information, join the conversation at the Creative Cloud Forum.
• To receive a notification, when Creative Cloud is available, Sign-up.
• You could Pre-order now.
• Share your opinion. Leave a comment below.