Wulfsoft, makers of the wireframing tool PowerMockup, conducted a survey asking software developers if they are familiar with the term ?wireframe? in the context of web and application development. Out of 501 respondents, 61.3% admitted that they have no idea what wireframes are.
This is remarkable. Wireframes are a proven, useful planning instrument; it is reasonable to expect them to be part of every developer?s toolbox. Wireframes are block diagrams that show the general layout and functionality of a user interface. Similar to architectural blueprints for a building, they map out the placement of major screen elements, but leave out decorative details such as colors and font types. Creating wireframes is an effective way to start a development project. They follow a ?show, don?t tell? approach and give everyone involved a comprehensive visual overview of the proposed solution. In contrast to lengthy textual specification documents, wireframes are quick to create and provide something tangible that can be used for collaboration, discussion, and ongoing iteration.
A simple way to get started with wireframing is to use Microsoft PowerPoint, complemented by an add-on called PowerMockup. PowerMockup includes a searchable library of 240 templates for user interface controls (buttons, text boxes, tab bars, etc.) and icons. These templates can easily be dragged and dropped onto a PowerPoint slide to put together a wireframe layout. A trial version of PowerMockup for PowerPoint 2007, 2010, and 2013 can be downloaded from the product website at http://www.powermockup.com/.
For the full results of the wireframe survey, please visit http://www.powermockup.com/resources/articles/wireframe-survey.
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