Kevin Wick

Going Interactive: How we stopped making static wireframes and started making prototypes
April 9 11:30AM
Ever been in a wireframe review and gotten that sinking feeling, “They’re
not getting it”? Or been frustrated that your carefully crafted annotations
are not communicating effectively – perhaps because they’re not being read?
Ever had someone say there wasn’t time or budget to do usability testing?

Here’s one solution: stop creating static, paper-based wireframes and start
creating browser-based interactive prototypes/dynamic wireframes. Prototype
simulations are more effective than static wireframes for communicating the end
product and helping stakeholders better understand the intended design.

In this talk, I will share how Ascentium successfully transitioned from Visio
to Axure. I will include:
- Tradeoffs between static wireframes and interactive prototypes
- Tool selection criteria (we chose Axure, but other good tools are
available)
- How we gained momentum and got clients (including T-Mobile, Nintendo,
U. Washington, Microsoft, and others), project managers, designers, developers,
and writers excited about the change (and how we got management to pay for the
software)
- How we do not spend more time creating Axure prototypes than Visio
wireframes
- How we UXers adapted and customized Axure to make up for its
weaknesses, including creating a “sketchy” widget library (at
http://consulting.ascentium.com/blog/ux-seo/Post222.aspx)

I will also provide plenty of “show-me-how” tips and tricks about how to
use Axure, including:
- How to create tabs, accordions, light-boxes, carousels, video players
and other widgets
- How to create drag-and-drop and animation
- Best practices for sharing prototypes
- Low fidelity vs high fidelity
- Where to go to learn more

UXers who are interested in going interactive will walk away with insights
about why and how to successfully transition from static wireframes to
interactive prototypes. UXers with no to some experience with Axure will
benefit from specific Axure tips.

Going dynamic is an evolutionary step in creating the core UX deliverable:
wireframes.