Ask HN: Wireframing software of choice? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Wireframing software of choice?

13 pointsorganicgrant14 comments

There are a million options out there...from Balsamiq to Keynote to bar napkins.

What are you using...and why is it the best choice?

I expect lively discussion!

I still use Balsamiq exclusively. None of the other tools offer the sort of additional features that would make me switch.

Omnigraffle isn't specifically a wireframing tool, but is very popular with Mac and iPad users.

Axure RP is also popular, but its price tag seems steep compared to what it delivers to individual designers.

I've considered ForeUI for the cases where I want to be able to build interactive prototypes, as well as CogTool for when I've wanted to measure tasks, but have not actually used either.

I recently did a set of wireframes in iMockups for iPad and was exceedingly disappointed in its visual style, the way the tools and interactions worked and the export functionality. I would not recommend it.

The functionality I'm missing is:

- Motion design. I need to prototype interactivity, reactions, button animations, movement, and no "wireframing" tool lets me do this.

- Complex documentation generation. I need to be able design wireframes and then break them down into components and output multiple types of documentation for the different teams that will be using them, in formats that can be emailed and read on iPhones and on Windows. Comprehensive docs for management are not as useful as targeted component-describing docs for implementers, and vice-versa.

- Hosted integration for artists and engineers. The graphic designers' comprehensive layouts become the source of truth for the design after my hand-off, because there's no easy way to flip back and forth between a wireframe and a design, nor between broken-apart, reusable visual components and their art. I also want developer IDE integration so technical teams can annotate the wireframes and animations with implementation details, so the documents stay "live" throughout the entire production workflow.

This is exactly the sort of analysis I LOVE HN for!

I like realism when wireframing, but Keynote is clunky.

Programs like Balsamiq try to imitate sketching. (pen and paper is faster)

What's the slickest option out there?

how about pencil? (http://pencil.evolus.vn/en-US/Home.aspx) has been using it and is quite happy.

I also use Pencil. Before that I was just using Fireworks or whatever graphic software I felt like. Pencil (as a true wireframing tool) forced me to focus on just wireframing which enabled me to get some alternative graphic ideas from my coders and designers.

If you already use keynote, I'd recommend at least checking out keynotekungfu.com. It's a tool kit for wireframing in keynote. It's not quite as easy to use as gomockingbird.com but it has more customization. I don't like how gomockingbird doesn't even allow for formatting of text. KeynoteKungFu is only $12 so it's not too expensive to test out.

I started using http://axure.com/ it allows for wireframing and prototyping. It is simple to learn and simple to use. They have excellent support and a free trial, I highly recommend it.

Another very happy Balsamiq user here, first step though is always a white board and a camera, really fast iteration there, then work in Balsamiq once the really high level wire frame is done and you are getting to the detail level

i use mockupscreens http://www.mockupscreens.com/. its quick and easy to get your idea down but simple enough that you arent conveying to viewers that you are already "done" or that things are frozen. its cheap, like $80 for single and like $300 for a team if you need it.

Gliffy (http://www.gliffy.com/)

Superb.

I haven't heard of that one yet...looks pretty cool. Does it have a snap-to-grid feature?

I didn't like Gliffy. When I tried using it, I found the interface slow. Also, sometimes I'd hit a bug that scattered the pieces all over the page, like someone had thrown a hand grenade at the sketch, and this couldn't be undone :P. It's been almost 2 years, so maybe it is better now.

I use GoMockBird.com - wireframing in the cloud and very easy to share with team members.

Think you mean http://gomockingbird.com

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