Surely you have ever heard or read the term wireframe. Today we explain what it is and why it is a vital tool in the design of any website or app.
What is a wireframe?
A wireframe is a scheme that represents the basic structure, types of content and position of the same in a web or app.
Wireframes, along with mockups and prototypes, are one of the fundamental tools when designing websites, apps and user interfaces.
While wireframes are responsible for defining the structure, mockups define the visual aspect and prototypes go a step further by adding interactivity.
Why should you use wireframes?
One of the most common mistakes in web design is to start working directly on the visual partignoring the structure and thinking that in this way we will save time and costs.
The result obtained is the opposite, since without a defined structure, making corrections will take more time and will be much more expensive.
In the same way that we do not start a house from the roof, We should not start designing a website or app without having a properly defined structure.
Wireframes allow us to represent the architecture of the web and define the position and specific size of each of the elements at a basic level.. In other words, the type of element to be used (text, image, button, etc.) is defined, but its visual appearance is not detailed.
Wireframes are essential in the early phases of the project because they act as sketches that allow the work team to understand the structure of the site or app.
They facilitate collaborative work, the exchange of ideas and allow obtaining the approval of the client in the design of key elements. such as home pages and navigation, providing security to the team as they move through the development process.
Being a schematic representation, wireframes are also perfect for making of usability, detect problems and make corrections.
How to create wireframes?
Before starting to design wireframes you must be clear about the architecture of the web through a sitemap or flowchart of the different pages that compose it.
It is common for the first wireframes to be made with pencil and paper. Once you have the structure defined, you can use specific tools that will help you position the different elements with greater precision.
There is a wide variety of tools that allow you to create wireframes. From specific tools like , or to more general ones like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva or Powerpoint.
You can also use advanced tools oriented to the design of user interfaces such as , , , either . All of them allow you to develop a web design project from the initial phase to the final phase and have numerous templates and kits that speed up the workflow.
The choice of one or another tool will depend on your needs, resources and skill levelbut in no case can it be an impediment to not using wireframes in your design process.
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