Wireframes – Design Wireframe – Wireframe Tools – Website Wireframes – Wireframe Software

Through prefab screen elements (e.g. radio buttons, links, navigation items, controls etc.) information architects can create clickable and animated web or software interfaces within minutes. Without any programming skills, interface designers can focus on the web concept and use cases, site structures and the overall layout of the site, instead of getting lost in details that will later be overhauled anyway.

The pidoco° screens design software consists of three main modules which complement each other perfectly. In combination, they accelerate the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.
Clickable wireframes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the use cases, just use the clickable wireframes to perform a one-on-one remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team

Have you ever wondered what the majority of people (okay, the majority of Google users) see of your website? If you have no complex tracking in place or want to make decisions on the basis of a really statistical significant number of users, Google has launched a new Labs application for you: Browser Size.

On browsersize.googlelabs.com, you can just add a URL (any URL) and let Google show you what of the site’s content can be seen by what percentage of users (depending on their browser size).

As we all know, the browser size is reduced by tool bars and other browser plugins – so your web tracking does not necessarily tell you the true screen resolution. With Google’s Browser Size instead, you see much clearer. For instance you can see that around 90% of the users surf with a visible browser resolution of 975 x 510. That’s neat and has, of course, implications on where to place what kind of content on your site.

So what do we do with this information about the fold?

An answer to that might be found in Milissa Tarquini’s (boxesandarrows) article “Blasting the Myth of the Fold”. There she proclaims to stop worrying about the fold at all, since when giving enough clues that more compelling content in following when you scroll down (which is much better than clicking), users will do so! But with Google Browser Size you now know where the fold is and where you really should place your clues (e.g. cut-off pictures) for more relevant content!

For the people who are into interface prototyping, Rapid Paper Prototyping is old school! But ever considered doing screen design on screen?

With pidoco’s web-based wireframe software suite, interaction designers and web developers can save valuable time, easily integrate other stakeholders and build better interfaces for the web.

Rapid Paper Prototyping has already been established as THE way to get a web-project started. The basic concepts of the layout will be put on paper and shared and iterated within the team. This basic screen concept will then be put through a refinement process by implementing feedback from clients, test users and colleagues. This paper-built screen will eventually act as a roadmap for the whole project – from start to finish. Some web designers even use these very limited paper prototypes for performing usability tests. Retrieving problems in the use cases before programming can save a lot of money, since later alterations in the so called ‘finished’ web project are minimized.

However, there are several drawbacks to Rapid Paper Prototyping.  Sketches on paper are only scanned to add to the project documentation and also difficult to share between team-members. Transforming paper prototypes into clickable wireframes for testing use cases is also a time consuming task as we all know!

That is why many screen designers create their sketches directly in MS PowerPoint or MS Visio and have them send to the relevant sources. True, that way one can share the data more effectively but it is not really more interactive than copying a piece of paper handing it to the team. The digital sketches still do not show the real capabilities for test user excitement:  links, dynamic menus and work-flows etc. cannot be reproduced effectively and need to be explained individually in long paragraphs. Again, more time and effort has to be invested to get the message across.

pidoco° has noticed this problem and made it their task to tackle it by providing a easy web-based interface design software.

Our conclusion of wireframing software: It’s got the look and feel of pen and paper, but adds interactivity (making wireframes clickable) and enhances developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration features enable interface designers to new ways to work with higher efficiency, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts

But even if screen designs have already been made in some hi-fi graphics software (e.g. InDesign, pidoco° can add value to the work flows by bringing interactivity to static screens. Adding ‘click areas’ to the finished screenshots enhance the collaboration and interaction capabilities of a former static screenshot. Colleagues, clients and test users can now easily be integrated in the designs process and online discussions can be held. Just like web conferencing, but with real-time editing never seen before!

Through prefab stencils (e.g. radio buttons, links, navigation items, controls etc.) interface designers can create clickable and animated web or software interfaces within minutes. Without any programming skills, interface designers can focus on the web concept and use cases, site structures and the overall layout of the site, instead of getting lost in details that will later be overhauled anyway.

The pidoco° interface design software consists of three main modules which complement each other perfectly. In combination, they accelerate the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.

Clickable wireframes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the concept wireframes, just use the clickable wireframes to perform a one-on-one remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team.

For the people who are into interface design, Rapid Paper Prototyping is old school! But ever considered doing screen design on screen?

With pidoco’s web-based interface design software, interaction designers and screen developers can save valuable time, enhance the creative process and build better interfaces for the internet.

Rapid Paper Prototyping has already been known to be the solution to get a web-application started. The basic concepts of the layout will be put on paper and tossed around in the team. This prototype will then go through an iterative design process by integrating feedback from colleagues or even clients. This paper prototype will eventually act as a rough guide for the whole project – from start to finish. Some screen-designers even use these basic sketches for performing usability tests. Revealing usability issues in the prototyping phase can save a lot of money, since later alterations in the so called ‘finished’ web project are minimized.

However, there are some drawbacks to Rapid Paper Prototyping.  Prototypes are only scanned to add to the document servers and also difficult to collaborate on in larger teams. Transforming paper prototypes into clickable wireframes for testing use cases is also a time consuming task as we all know!

That is why many companies create their concepts directly in MS PowerPoint or InDesign and have them distributed to the relevant sources. True, that way one can share the data more effectively but it is not really more dynamic than making copies of a piece of paper handing it to the team. The Visio-type static wireframes still do not show the real capabilities for test user excitement:  links, dynamic menus and combo-boxes etc. cannot be reproduced effectively and need to be explained individually in long text. Again, more time and effort has to be invested to get the message across.

Our conclusion of Rapid Digital Prototyping: It’s got the look and feel of handmade scribble prototyping, but adds interactivity (making wireframes clickable) and accelerates developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration modules enable interface designers to new ways to work with much better time allocation, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts.