[IxDA Discuss] Prototyping tools

[Douglas Brashear]

Hmmm, I must agree on this one. I used to use PowerPoint for WFs back in
the day (e.g. 1998), but really find Visio a better Windows-based option
for the small additional license cost (when I can't just rapid prototype
with the devs). There are a ton of pre-created Shape sets and after
using it for years creating common types of pages (e.g. news story
details) I can use past assets as the basis for new designs. My past
employers wouldn't pony up for Illustrator or other higher end design
software, so I don't have those skills to draw from. Also, our designers
like to maintain a certain dominion over design activities, and
sometimes creating extremely visually robust wireframes makes them antsy
(i.e. they're sometimes concerned about pre-design deliverables setting
client expectations).

I know there are better options...but given the short lifecycle for most
wireframes I create Visio seems like the best option for me, at least
for more static sites.

Just my $0.02.

- Doug

_________________________
Doug Brashear
Senior Information Architect
NavigationArts, LLC
703.584.8933 (office)
703.725.8031 (mobile)
dbrashear at navigationarts.com