Wireframe tools have traditionally been used for desktop applications and websites. There are some wireframe tools that now accommodate UX designers and content strategists who would like to target mobile users. Designing for mobile is full of challenges and there are many different schools of thought on the best way to design for the mobile user. There are several companies who do not yet have mobile websites and are considering different approaches to make their content compatible for the mobile market. In some cases it is appropriate to build an app for users, while in others it is more fitting to build a mobile website. Using wireframe tools can be a useful way for UX designers to focus on the user experience and content without having to focus on the challenges of responsive design at first. This article will look at different ways that wireframe tools can be used in the process of designing the user experience for mobile users.
Wireframing – App or Website?
Using a wireframe tool can be useful to help you plan your application, but before you begin, think about the goal of your assignment. Is it to make a website accessible to mobile users? Should only part of the website be adapted? Is your goal to create a platform where a lot of user-input is required, or where returning users might benefit from having their own account settings? This will help you make the decision about whether you should begin the wireframing for an app or mobile website. Remember, returning users will be more likely to download an app to their phone, whereas if you run an ecommerce site, it will be unlikely that a user wanting to buy a product will download an app without an incentive.
User context
Wireframe tools can be useful if you want to focus on the context of your user. There are many that are easy to use and where you can make changes quickly. This is vital if you are planning a mobile application designed for users on the go. You will need to make decisions about button sizes and your information architecture that will be greatly influenced by the situation your user is in. There are some wireframe tools that enable UX designers to simulate their prototypes on end devices. This is particularly useful for gathering user feedback. Even if the designer has created a quick mockup, this can be used with users to see how they would navigate through the application and where they might have difficulties.
Content organization
Wireframe tools are also an important resource for any content strategist. If a content strategist needs to transform an entire website to a way that will be appropriate for mobile users, he needs to think about whether it is best to condense all the information available in the website into a mobile website and whether it is appropriate to restructure this. There are some layouts – for example with single columns – that are better suited for the mobile user. Wireframe tools should be used in this case to draft states of pages. There are often different templates that pages take on a website. The content strategist should take these templates and experiment with these in a wireframe tool to see if a different layout and less content is more appropriate.
Conclusion
Using wireframe tools can be a great way to begin a mobile design project. There are many different things to consider about the user intent, the context in which a user will be using their device and how content should be organized. Once some of these questions have been answered and an appropriate mockup has been made of a mobile website or app, it is a good idea to speak with a designer who is knowledgeable about responsive design. With this strategy, the user and business case takes priority and the design and technical implementation occurs only once different avenues have been considered.
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