Web design is a rather tough creative job. It takes up a lot of time and energy. This sometimes forces the designer or developer to skip steps that they may consider unnecessary. Wireframing is one such step in web development that people are tempted to avoid. However, that is a mistake you shouldn’t make. Here are all the reasons why wireframing is important.
What it means to wireframe
In web development, wireframe is a term that refers to a rough draft. It is a skeletal structure of what will be changed into a UI design later. Wireframe is a sketch that the designer makes on any software they prefer. The use of this rough draft is that it serves as a visual brainstorming that lets the designer put all the ideas out physically without putting in too much time or effort. Other than that, it gives a rough idea of what the final product would be like. So, for instance, if this final sketch isn’t good enough, it can be thrown away or deleted without wasting time or effort. Lastly, a wireframe serves as a reference for when the web design is in process.
What happens if you don’t wireframe
You may be thinking that it is just a rough draft so it won’t be very important. What the real deal here is that in web development, the designer alone cannot make all the decisions. Approval from a senior, developer, or someone else is important. With the help of a wireframe, the designer can convey a clear idea of what the final product would be like. However, if the designer decided to save time and went straight into designing, if it gets disapproved in the end, it will prove to be wastage of more time and even more effort. The UI design is very different than the wireframe and hence, the room for feedback is still open even if you got the wireframe approved. However, adding this little step minimises major risks of rejection.
Where do wireframes prove most useful
The truth is, web development and design are very complicated for a layman. If you showed your wireframe to a person who doesn’t have knowledge of the field, you’ll only see a confused face. But, in the industry of web design, wireframes are not showed to random people. Instead, they are a source of providing all important information to relevant people in the organization. Since wireframes are the opposite of messy, they can be used to convey the required information to the developers without any confusion. At the same time, wireframes cannot replace high fidelity mockups.
UI designing is very fun for people who like to do it. If you’re one such person, you’ll be very tempted to skip wireframes and get to the fun part. But, our recommendation is to spend a few extra minutes to save what’s worth more. Do not waste your efforts; instead, go step by step to enjoy a risk-free process!
At Krome, we specialise in website design and development services. If you or your client are interested in creating a site, it’s time to tell us about your project or have a chat about what we can do. You can contact us here.