Four wireframes by Wednesday.
Aargh! Don’t you know I rapid prototype everything now.
OK, so four wireframes to do for Wednesday. My favorite tools are paper/pencil, and whiteboard/marker. It’s much easier to visualize on a big screen, then I’ll build prototypes in either Domino Designer or Dreamweaver.
So this should be a fun exercise. It’s been a while since I’ve put some together, and I was wondering why that was. First thing that jumps out is the lack of time. Most of the little projects I do are put together with prototypes. Once it works, I retool it into a working application.
However, when embarking on a major redesign, wireframes are king. Somewhere, you need a blueprint. You may go through multiple iterations, but there is a process and the process is important. I remember using flowcharts when I was a recording engineer. That was the map. Most people look at those engineering flowcharts and can’t possibly imagine that anyone can understand them. They are not for the audience at large, nor are wireframes. Most clients don’t care about wireframes or sitemaps, they want to see the shine. How it works is our job, they just want it to work. I can testify to that because I’m often the client. Being able to play both sides of the fence is fun, and it also gives me an advantage, but I digress.
Having those blueprints will benefit anyone that is documenting features, designing interfaces, developing test plans, etc. They provide valuable insight into the app, before it is released for testing and/or consumption. Other stakeholders appreciate these tools, because it helps them with their work, and they don’t have to come perster you for every little detail.
So the first four are coming Wednesday. It’s going to be nice to get back to the basics for a while. There is something to be said about simplicity.