Ever started designing a website/app and felt lost? You’re not alone. Many businesses struggle at first regarding their website or app design. Some businesses have even launched projects that they developed and tested routinely but still failed. Moral of the story? They skipped the wireframing phase.
But how did skipping wireframing lead to failure? It resulted in confusing user interfaces, low engagement rates, and dissatisfaction. This is also why 85% of designers plan and outline their projects by wireframing. But what is wireframing, and why is it important?
In this blog we’ll get into the depths of what is wireframing and how your business can get the best out of it! Let’s learn its types, uses, and more!
Key Takeaways
By the end of the blog you’ll know:
- What is wireframing, and what are its types?
- Why should you use wireframes? Are they important?
- What are some of the popular tools that designers prefer when creating wireframes?
- Important things to follow when making a wireframe for success.
Understanding Wireframing
Think of an easy way to visualize a project before it’s ready. A simple way where you can update and edit your design until you’re satisfied. That way is called wireframing. Wireframing is a process where designers create a rough design of their website or app design. It’s used in the early development process to finalize a simple structure before beginning. Wireframing can be done via sketch or software.
This may sound like extra work, but imagine how easy it will get to create your final design once you’re done experimenting. That too at little to no expense. The right kind of design improves user conversions by up to 400%.
Do businesses actually use wireframes?
Do you use any apps or websites with a simple user interface? Or any platform that is easily navigable and simple to understand? These businesses have created wireframes before developing their platforms. In fact, the wireframing market alone is expected to reach $43 billion by 2030, considering a CAGR of 23%.
If the market size is so huge and so many businesses are going for it, then wireframing is surely a very useful skill to have.
Why use wireframes?
We already know that many businesses utilize wireframes, but why? What is wireframing uniqueness? Let’s see:
Visual Design Process
Wireframes allow a visual design process. Instead of imagining a design in your head, wireframes allow you to get an idea of how it will look. Surprisingly, you’ll get an idea about how you can improve your design and make changes.
User-focused concept
Since wireframing allows you to visualize your design, you can naturally create a user-focused concept. User experience (UX) designers know which features to prioritize and where to place them. When designing a platform, it is essential to keep in mind that users want an easy-to-navigate app.
Cost-efficient
Whether you’re creating a website design or app wireframe, cost-effectiveness is a plus point! Wireframes are fairly very easy to create. Wireframing tools generally have simple drag-and-drop interfaces that allow user experience (UX) designers to place and update the features easily. If you have an artistic side, wireframes can even be created with pencil and paper!
Easy to update
Once an app is developed and launched, updating it is tricky. This is why many apps end up discontinued. On the other hand, wireframes make updating and improving much easier.
Iterative testing
The simple and easy process of creating and editing wireframes allows quick and easy changes in code. Updating the visual design can also make iterative testing easy.
These are just a few advantages of using wireframes for your platform. Now that we know the whys, let’s explore the types of wireframing below.
Types of Wireframes
What is wireframing types? Wireframing sounds a bit too simple. However, there are three types of wireframes, and you can choose the one that suits your needs the most.
Low-fidelity wireframes
Low-fidelity wireframes are simple, basic sketches of your project design. These wireframes allow you to:
Brainstorm ideas
Low-fidelity wireframes give you a free hand to experiment with ideas. The idea you have in your head? This is where you visualize it for the different pages of your app or website design.
Basic function layout
This is where you design your app interface (UI). These types of wireframes focus on placing the basic functions instead of the actual design. That button that doesn’t look good in the corner? Simply place it anywhere you want!
Easy to update and improve
Since they are at the earliest stage of development, designers can gather insights and improve their wireframes before moving on to the design process.
Mid-fidelity wireframes
As the name suggests, mid-fidelity wireframes balance low and high-fidelity wireframes. They are more advanced and are mostly made with wireframing tools.
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Visualize user flow
Mid-fidelity wireframes mainly focus on user-centric design. They help visualize the steps a user takes to perform a task.
Basic functionality checking
Mid-fidelity wireframes can sometimes be made interactive or clickable. This helps validate the functionality and flow of the website or app design. It also aids in usability testing, allowing designers to improve or finalize the design.
Collaboration
Mid-fidelity wireframes are easy to create, edit, and understand, making them a great tool for collaboration. They can go to and fro designers, stakeholders, and developers. The detailed structure simplifies the design and functional concepts to everyone.
High-fidelity wireframes
High-fidelity wireframes are the most advanced types. This is usually the end step in the design process before beginning development. They allow you to:
Work on finalizing the details
This is where you go into depth to finalize every little detail in the design. This includes placing real content, testing fonts and color palettes, and adding interactive elements. They can easily help you identify what needs to be improved.
Test user experience
The details in high-fidelity wireframes allow for a more accurate judgment of the user interface (UI) elements. Rather than simply showing the app or website’s form, they also display its functions. This allows us to spot its strengths and weaknesses.
Finalize the design
Once everyone is satisfied with the details, it’s time to finalize the design and move on to the development process. This is where your creativity will meet technicality!
What are some of the popular tools for creating wireframes?
Low-fidelity wireframes are simple; just take pen and paper. But that’s not where your platform will end up. Your app or website will end up on the screen. This is where you will need wireframing tools to visualize your design. Here are some popular tools that you can create wireframes with:
1. Figma
Need a tool where designing is fun and collaboration is easy? Figma is the best option! It is a cloud-based, open-source wireframing tool. Figma has built-in templates and plugins that simplify the wireframing process, and make it easy for designers to map out the interface. A small study showed that 36% of designers preferred Figma for wireframing.
2. Balsamiq
Simple to learn and easy to use, Balsamiq is a basic low-fidelity tool with an intuitive interface, allowing anyone to create a basic architecture for their projects. Do you have a detailed design in mind but aren’t good with pencils? Balsamiq is your best bet!
3. Justinmind
Is there a tool that allows you to create detailed, interactive wireframes? Yes! Justinmind allows you to add detailed design elements, animations, and transitions that closely resemble the final product. If you’re at an advanced stage of your design process, Justinmind is perfect.
4. Moqups
A quick stop for quick sketches and basic design layouts, Moqups is best for collaborative work on low/mid-fidelity wireframes. It even allows users to build from scratch or use one of its built-in templates. You may prefer building from scratch if you want something unique!
5. Fluid UI
A high-fidelity wireframing tool with more than 2000 elements to experiment with? Fluid UI! This tool allows you to create both high and low-fidelity wireframes with ease. However, this platform is not free, but it does come with a free plan.
Now you know what is wireframing tools. These tools are popular among user experience (UX) designers. The simpler tools can even allow business owners to visualize their ideas if they want.
Important things to follow when creating a wireframe
You now have a complete understanding of what is wireframing. So, here are a few important things to follow when creating a wireframe:
1. Balance the details
Balance the visual details; don’t do too much. Wireframes are just there to show your creativity and prioritize user-centric designs. If you add too many details, it will get too complicated. Remember, wireframes are only at the beginning of the design process.
2. Focus on user needs
Although it’s fun to design with wireframes, you need to ensure you’re focusing on the user’s needs. Wireframes are a mix of artsy and technicality, so prioritize easy user navigation and an intuitive user interface (UI) above all.
3. Add Annotations
Keeping things in mind is easy; the green button does this, and the blue button does that. But this isn’t wise. It’s also easy to forget which element is for what purpose and becomes confusing when collaborating. Instead, add annotations to clarify and explain the context around design elements.
4. Consider different screen sizes
If you’re designing an app, you need to consider tablets and mobile phones. However, when designing websites, you have to consider various desktop sizes, tablets, and mobile phones. It’s crucial to keep this in mind to create a design easily navigable on all.
5. Maintain consistency
If wireframes need too many updates, it becomes hard to maintain consistency. It’s essential, however, to be consistent with the wireframing process. This will reward your creativity when it results in the most perfectly designed product.
If you follow these things when creating a wireframe, you have a high chance of succeeding. What is wireframing, if not just a basic outline of your project?
Conclusion
Now you know what is wireframing, its types, and how easy it is to make them. Because of their simplicity, wireframes often get overlooked. Most experienced designers have climbed their way up, starting with wireframes. At Linkitsoft, wireframing is our secret to perfect, navigable, and user-centric app designs.
Our design team is equipped with the ability to build creative wireframes and designs for your app or website. Want to visualize a project idea? Don’t wait long enough for it to fade! Contact Linkitsoft today and give life to your ideas!
