An idea does not become real until we put it on paper and the same happens if you want to start with your website, so today we want to tell you the benefits of web prototyping in interface design.
Starting a website is usually a task that takes a lot of time and work, so it is important that when it is finally online it is perfect, for this it is best to make a prototyping that allows you to offer the best user experience and correct any errors before it goes online.
What is web prototyping?
Web prototyping is more than just drawing a website on paper. A web prototype is a functional sketch, which helps to have a visual reference of the website structure. This way you can plan what content it should have and especially its visual distribution, both at the page level and in the sections.
In other words, prototyping is the moment when the idea starts to take shape, to anticipate errors and provide the best user experience.
If you do not have knowledge in web development, do not worry because you can make a prototype just doing the interface design, it does not necessarily have to be navigable, so you can even start it in a design or image editing program.
What is web prototyping for?
Making a web prototype before launching your website has benefits that you can not waste, and here are some of them:
Lower costs and save time.
The first is that you can reduce costs in the production process because it is simpler and cheaper to modify errors on a prototype than on the final product. This also means significant time savings.
Improves communication between work teams
Making a web interface design can be more complicated than it seems, especially for each work team such as UX designers and programmers to reach the final goal.
Because of its versatility, a web prototype can be used as a template for the programmer to have a clearer idea of the site you need, but it will also have the changes and suggestions established by the design team, especially the user experience design team.
Collect user feedback
One of the great advantages of web prototyping is that you can collect user feedback. Think of your prototype as a mock-up of your website, so you can show your site to a segment of your audience to evaluate important aspects such as usability, simplicity or design, so you can make the necessary changes before your site goes to market.
Helps you get financing
If you are looking for funding for your venture, remember that the most important thing is to look as prepared as possible and show that you have a solid project with each part well-defined.
The best thing to do is to show a web prototype, this way your potential investors will have a clearer idea of how the project’s website will look like.
Also, it is important to show the prototype to your investors because this way they will have the opportunity to give their opinion about the website and make the modifications they consider necessary.
You can do it without knowing web programming
One of the advantages of web prototyping is that you don’t have to know web programming, so you can take your idea to something more practical like paper, so that later your team can transform that idea into reality.
To make a prototype, you can use some tools that are very intuitive and with which you can form a faithful model of your idea, so you can improve it later. But if you want to learn how to make a web prototyping, continue reading because later we will explain it to you.
How to do web prototyping?
Making a web prototype is an excellent exercise to get your ideas clear and establish the needs and goals for your website. As we have told you to make this mockup you don’t need to know how to program, you can even start it in a very simple way using pencil and paper, but before you start drawing check the following steps that will help you to make a more professional and effective web prototype.
Define your objectives
As in any planning the most important thing is to establish the objectives that will guide the rest of the project, so define what kind of website you need, what you expect to achieve with it and what you expect your customers to find in it.
Hierarchize information
Another important aspect of your website is the information, since it is the message you want to give, so it is important to define what sections your website should have and what information each one will have.
Wireframing
Perhaps, this step does not sound familiar to you, but it is the moment when your idea will take more shape, because it is a phase prior to mockupping in which we are going to introduce the elements of the web as forms, links, text boxes and images, let’s say that it is forming the complete skeleton of the site.
Mockuping
Many people skip this step in prototyping, but once you understand it, you will realize how important it is not to skip it. Mockuping is the step in which you will add the visual details, such as color, typography, borders, shadows and all the details that will make your prototype a closer and more real idea.
User Experience
This is a very important step because it is about designing the functionality of the page, that is, we are going to add the elements that help users to interact with it and its elements, such as buttons or links.
Evaluate
Once you have the prototype ready it is time to evaluate it, for this you can present it to a group of users, so they can check if it is simple, if all the information they need is there and if it looks good.
Tips to do your web prototyping
Putting an idea on paper can be a little more complicated than it looks, so we want to give you some tips to make your prototype easier and less time-consuming.
The first tip is always to put yourself in the shoes of your visitors, so try to make a website that has all the information you need and above all that is easy to navigate.
Remember that less is more, so try to make a simple site without saturating it with images, graphic elements or buttons. Also, try not to saturate it with colors, as all these design mistakes will only make your visitors get distracted and lose sight of the content of the page.
Don’t forget about mobile devices. It is a very common mistake when making a web prototype to think only in the interface of the site for desktop, forgetting mobile devices, or vice versa, it is designed thinking exclusively to open the site on tablets or smartphones forgetting desktop computers. You have to make a prototype that can be viewed on any device, this will help your visitors to navigate easily from anywhere.
Web prototyping tools
It is true that you can do web prototyping with pencil and paper, but it is always best to have a professional and highly polished design. Luckily, nowadays, there are a variety of tools that are simple, accessible and inexpensive to help you prototype.
Adobe XD is perhaps the most famous tool for prototyping, the main advantage is that it has the guarantee and support of Adobe. With Adobe XD you can design in real time, so several teams can participate in the design of the prototype at the same time.
Balsamiq Wireframes is a tool that will help you with mockup design. With Balsamiq you can create low-fidelity UI wireframes as easy as drawing on a notepad or whiteboard. In addition, it allows you to concentrate on the skeleton of the web, as you don’t have to be distracted by adding colors or images.
Moqups is a tool that also allows you to create wireframes, but it doesn’t stop there, as it allows you to create more detailed prototypes by adding visual details such as color, borders and typographies. The best thing about Moqups is that it allows you to create the design online without having to install anything, it is also very simple and intuitive.
Sketch is one of the most complete prototyping tools on the market. With Skectch you can have a free trial with which you can start your prototype from scratch until you have the mockup ready for the programmer.
A website can give important advantages to your venture, so it is best to make the best possible site, that’s why it is important in web prototyping to design the best interface, and we hope these tips will help you in this creative task. Tell us what is the best tool for prototyping.