Why use wire framing?


A wireframe is a visual representation of an application or website.  The wireframe depicts the page layout and/or arrangement of the content to be used, this will include the interface elements and navigation.  It usually lacks style, color and even graphics, the main focus is on the work flow.

I find them useful when you have clients that like to focus on the color, images and icons you chose rather then the workflow of the site.  It saves me a ton of time during meetings and its easier to move or change a design with this form since there isn’t any code written yet. My application of choice for this moment is Balsamiq Mockups (http://www.balsamiq.com/).  This application runs on Adobe AIR so its platform independent – which is great for my work environment (Windows, OS X, and Linux). Its low-fi sketch wireframes allows me to get my meetings to focus on functionality or work flow, it has a series of common built in interface components, and it also allows me to upload my own components.

I don’t use this application all the time – but when I am about to start a new project or redesign an existing one I find this invaluable.

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