Try Balsamiq Mockups for faster turnaround with developers
I’ve mentioned my distaste for wireframing in previous posts. It’s not that I can’t do it, it just takes me a while and makes me second-guess every placement I make because I know I lack expertise in User-Interface Design (something that’s currently on my list of self-improvement items.)
So, what difference Balsamiq Mockup do diffferent? Quite a lot actually. It’s counter-intuitive, but using the right tool for the task can sometimes make a world of difference. (Remember my warning: garbage-in / gospel-out still applies, even with low-fidelity wireframes!) Balsamiq is as smart as it comes for making a “dumb document” (which is essentially what a wireframe is!) The idea is you create a shell, devoid of color and graphics that just illustrates what the shape and feel should be. A good deliverable for development methodologies that call for rapid prototyping, and making quick changes early on.
Here’s the example they give of the ficticious “MyTunez”:
How long does it take to put something like that together using BM? About two-shakes of a lambs tail! (Which is greek-geek speak for not long at all.)
BM has features which automatically highlight rows and columns in the pre-made list-shapes you import into your design. Showing or hiding a scrollbar is as easy as checking a box. In a word: awesome.
For $79, you’ll make your investment back in about 1 wireframe. And if you’re like me and don’t know a ton of UI design, don’t fret: you can change it around simply and easily as you learn more.
So for all you non-developers out there who are struggling to communicate, and find it difficult to express yourself visually, go try the free web version. You’ll see exactly why I’m so enthusiastic about this product.
(And, as always, there’s no conflict of interest here: I never put a referral link in a review I write. Anything that benefits me monetarily is marked with the words “Sponsor”, “Ad”, or something similar.)
Good luck! Enjoy!
Cristian Pascu
17 May, 2010
Hey, when you get to interactive wireframes and prototyping, you can also try FlairBuilder. Bonus, it lets you import Balsamiq mockups and turn them into interactive prototypes.
Cheers,
Cristian
Chris
17 May, 2010
Hi Christian,
Thanks for the suggestion!
I hadn’t heard of FlairBuilder before, but it looks very promising! Especially for the iPhone developer functionality. One thing I’ve noticed: there’s been a big market push for Android, at least among my clients. They figure if they’re developing for Apple, they may as well hedge their bets and do Google also.
Thanks again,
Chris