The what, when and why of wireframes

All about wireframes ...

"I recently presented at a conference on the humble wireframe and thought it would be a good idea to run through some key points. I have also noted that some feel the wireframe is dead, though if anything its more alive now than ever. Pay heed to 37 signal’s take on the subject…

If a wireframe document is destined to stop and never directly become the actual design, don’t bother doing it. If the wireframe starts as a wireframe and then morphs into the actual design, go for it.

In the presentation I attempted to answer these questions;

Wireframes

* • What are they?
* • Why do we use them?
* • When should they be used?
* • What are the different types?
* • How are they used in a project life cycle?
* • Why are they important?

What are they?

They are a visual representation of the content of a web page that is the culmination of user research, business objectives and content.

Best brought together in a sequence of pages to illustrate paths of navigation and interactions on the page.

They are working documents that are not finished designs but are likely to change as the design process progresses and functional requirements are clarified.

They are NOT…

* • Meant for an external audience without an explanation of context
* • Meant to be the design of a page
* • To portray any graphic elements
* • To convey the brand of a website"    (Continued via User Pathways)    [Usability Resources]

Wireframe