Wireframe Fidelity – Low Fidelity Wireframes

A wireframe is a visual representation of the projected content of a graphical user interface that allow designers to test, refine and adjust software user interfaces to improve user experience and functionality. They are particularly useful in the collaborative process as they ensure that stakeholders can keep track of a project’s workflow. Special wireframe tools or wireframe software can support this process effectively. Wireframes come in either two main guises: low fidelity or high fidelity. In this blog I shall explore both types and their usefulness for user interface design, and more:

What are low fidelity wireframes?

Low-fidelity wireframes are wireframes that focus on the essentials of a user interface: layout, structure, Information Architecture – not design! Low fidelity wireframes evolved onto computer screens from rapid paper prototyping wireframes which emerged in the mid 1980s to become a popular Blue Chip company tool by the mid 1990s. Rapid paper prototyping involved the creation of rough drawings (sometimes drawn by hand) of graphical user interfaces as prototypes of software applications to visualize and test usability.

What are the main benefits of low fidelity wireframes?

1. Time: Eschewing many cosmetic factors, low fidelity wireframes are faster to create and thus allow you to quickly tackle fundamental issues regarding the usability of your interface. Suggestions and refinements can, also, quickly be incorporated into software prototypes for further fine tuning.

2. Cost: Low fidelity wireframes take a relatively short time to create. They also help iron out design flaws and even allow a change in direction long before the coding process begins, thus bringing down costs significantly. User centered design thrives on collaboration and the gathering of qualitative data for the decision making process. Low fidelity wireframes allow you to experiment with a number of variations very cheaply.

3. Design Efficiency: Adopting a user centered design philosophy by first focusing on the usability and interactivity of your interface – the part of your software your users see first – and only then applying a visual design provides you with a solid foundation for great design rather than having a great but unwieldy design long set in stone that must be expensively remodeled.

4. Feedback: Low-fidelity prototyping also engenders great feedback. Presenting a high fidelity wireframe can distract a user from the actual usability issues and they might end up focusing on design features such as fonts, colors etc… A low fidelity wireframe is also not so daunting which makes it more accessible to suggestions from users. Yet, some wireframe tools even allow you to create clickable wireframes that can simulate an application’s workflow and navigation.

Wireframe tools such as the pidoco°  rapid prototyping software allow one to easily and quickly create clickable wireframes for web and software applications without requiring knowledge of programming or having to install any software. Your wireframe is available online to whomever you wish to view, annotate and/or edit it. Furthermore, a wireframe tool like pidoco° allows for affordable remote usability testing enabling  the ultimate iterative collaborative interaction. Some wireframe tools like pidoco° also use the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model making powerful GUI prototyping more affordable and quick to roll out in your organization.