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How UI Wireframe Software Became What It Is Now
Author : Martin Metz
Submitted : 2011-12-13 Word Count : 606 Popularity: Not Rated
Tags: interface design, wireframes, user interface design, UI design, interface design software, interface design tool, wireframe software, wireframe tool
Using good wireframe software is now absolutely indispensable in web development. Wireframe software is becoming increasingly powerful and usually does not just provide pre-designed elements to facilitate the design process but also makes it possible to share prototypes and work on them together with other team members. It took wireframe software over ten years to evolve into the tools we use today. There is a variety of wireframe software available on the market today, but what tools did web developers use before?
Pen and paper as first wireframe software
Of course, the evolution of wireframe software began with pen and paper. This wireframing tool has always been available. For centuries humans used pen and paper to jot down ideas or to make visuals to illustrate their point. When the first websites were designed pen and paper were also used to plan and develop ideas before executing them. Not surprisingly, pen and paper are still used extensively as a wireframing tool. That is understandable: pen and paper are always at hand and they do not limit your creativity – they are old school. However simple, pen and paper had a number of limitations, which forced developers to look for better wireframing tools.
Graphical and HTML-based wireframe software
At the second stage of evolution wireframing was done in any applications that made it possible. These applications were not specifically designed as wireframe software, but they helped immensely to brainstorm the concept and have something to show to the client in the end. The most popular programs used as wireframe software then were applications for image editing, presentations or diagramming. Simple examples would be Photoshop, Powerpoint and Visio. Wireframes resulting from such applications were very representative and graphical, frequently going into great design details. They had one important drawback though: they could not show clearly navigation between pages and they would not allow real usability testing. Some web-developers, who found this a serious drawback, created wireframes in the form of simple HTML pages. While visual resemblance between such wireframes and the end product was minimal and adaptation to feedback difficult, such wireframes allowed for better usability testing. Henri Olson from guuui.com conducted a survey among web developers in 2003 to determine which prototyping tools were used at the time. Results showed that 28.3% were using HTML-based wireframe software.
Specialized wireframe software
The conducted survey coincided with the time when the first specialized wireframe software programs were released. Unlike Visio or Powerpoint, the new wireframe software was created specifically to assist web developers in wireframing user interfaces. All the functions which were not vital to the wireframing process were eliminated to ensure efficiency and greater speed. Since then wireframe software has been developed with increasing speed. Appearing applications allowed different degrees of fidelity, customization of design elements, export and download of the created wireframes. Those were all desktop applications. Now, with universal Internet coverage, online wireframe software is gaining more and more popularity. The online wireframing tools provide greater flexibility and outstanding collaboration opportunities. You can now be anywhere in the world and work on the wireframe prototypes with your team.
What can we possibly expect from wireframe software in the future? Perhaps, the new generation of wireframing tools will be able to translate our thoughts into simple user interface design wireframes? Many say that the choice of wireframe software is a generational thing and older developers still find scribbling down ideas on paper most satisfying. However, no one will argue that in web development as anywhere else to be successful it is best to think progressively and embrace the technology.
Author's Resource Box
Pidoco.com – <a href="https://pidoco.com/en" target="_blank" title="Interface Design, Interface Prototyping">Interface Design</a>, Wireframe, Wireframe Software, Interface Design Tool, Online Wireframe Tool, Wireframe Tool, <a href="https://pidoco.com/en/features/prototypes" target="_blank" title="Interface Prototyping, User Interface Prototyping">Interface Prototyping</a>, Clickable Wireframes, Usability Testing and Digital Paper Prototyping. User centered design for improved UI Design.