What Is It?
The design process can go through countless hours of iterations, only to find out a major flaw towards the end. Prototyping allows us to quickly build and hash through ideas without writing a bit of code or modifying HTML. Prototyping usually starts with wireframing; where no colors or images are included. This process helps up designate navigation and the location of text, buttons, images, and banners. After wire-framing, we can start design prototyping. This brings the design to life with colors and images and can be interactive.
Do I Need It?
The obvious disadvantage with prototyping is the amount of time it can take to plan a project before actually designing and developing. In truth, we can sometimes skip prototyping if the end goal is simple. However, if the project is sizable, skipping this step often produces unobtainable deadlines and teams can go off on tangents. The cost of having to make changes to a developed project may outweigh the cost of prototyping from the beginning.
High Expertise
Website Prototype
A Website prototype at its most basic level is an interactive demo of a website. They are often used to gather feedback while a project is still in its earliest stages. At a deeper level, it can provide a mock-up of what a website will look like when it goes live. Most often, when people refer to a website prototype, they mean something interactive that allows a user to navigate various pages and test out the entire functionality of the site before it goes live. Here is some important information to know about website prototyping.
Website Prototyping Advantages
When you create a prototype of a website, it allows people who hold a stake in its success to see what the final project will look like when it goes live. It allows everyone to see what direction it's going in and agree on what aspects need to remain and which need to be cut before the final commitment must be made. The website will go through many rounds of testing, so it can be refined and perfected before it goes live.
Ways to Create a Website Prototype
There are a few different methods that will help you create a website prototype. Here are some of the most common methods:
- Using presentation software like Powerpoint is a great option. This type of software is familiar and easy to use. They also have an easy-to-follow linear format. However, they have a limited scope as well as other limited capabilities.
- Coded prototyping can work on just about any operating system and there is not much cost involved with it. However, you need to know quite a bit about coding to get the job done right.
- Using prototyping software lets you accomplish the job quickly and has advanced functions to give you an excellent finished product. But, like using code, it requires background knowledge to execute the job well.
Hire me as Your Website Designer
Although you can save a bit of money by doing your website prototyping yourself, it is not a good idea in the long run. As a professional website designer, I know the best methods to get the job done quickly and accurately. I know of the best technologies and methods to use to get the job done right. You can be assured you will have an excellent prototype when the job is done and you and your stakeholders will have an easy time analyzing the prototype and making your final decision based on an accurate replica of it.
If you are looking for a designer who can create an awesome website prototype for your company, give me a call. I’d love to work with you.