Can I create a wireframe for all purposes (sketch, communicate, review, document...)?

Question

I was requested to create wireframes for the product UI many times, since they are for different purposes.

We need some low-fidelity wireframes to communicate with our clients, which are non-technical people, so that they can focus on the solution itself and confirm the requirements. I used Balsamiq to do the job.

Then I was asked to create some interactive prototypes to collect feedback about the usability from users. I used Axure to do this.

Our product will be running on Mac, but Axure create wireframe in Windows style... The developers complain that they feel hard to map the hi-fi wireframe to the target UI. So I have to rework the hi-fi wireframes with Mac style and put them into design documents. I used Photoshop to do this.

Yeah I am so good that I have all these done, but I really feel tired. Those different wireframes are actually for one product, they have similar structures, but I have to create them time by time. I wish I could create a wireframe for all purposes, but I don't know how :-(

Any suggestion?

Answer 1

Understand your feeling, but you have to face it. You can use all these tools to have the job done, that's why your boss hire you :-)

Honestly I don't think there will be such a magic to meet your requirement...

Answer 2

I think you can try ForeUI. It creates skinnable mockups so that you can switch their fidelity as needed, and it supports interactive wireframing too (just like Axure).

Answer 3

You can use Axure with custom buttons (draw it, uses as picture with image map region and dynamic panels if needed, use it as a "widget"). If you want to be detailed (for specifications for instance), you have to be also a designer here (or you need one).

When I fast prototype, I personally prefer to keep a low-level prototype (not to much details, button = square box with title).

It avoids the customer to say "oh it's already done!" or "I would prefer this button to be blue". And also avoid the users (for usability test) to be afraid about criticizing.

So I think it is better to stay at low-level fidelity for that. In this case, Balsamiq may be a good solution (http://www.balsamiq.com/).

Hope that helps.