Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#21

Post by chris_mahan » Tue, Apr 16, 2013, 11:58 PM UTC

aespinoza wrote: post #19

chris_mahan wrote: post #14

Pen and paper. If I need to have an electronic version, I take a picture with my 8 megapixels phone camera and I email it. It's the fastest tool, but it does require knowing how to draw straight lines. It also leaves management under no illusion that the thing is "almost done". I work at a company in the top 15 of the Fortune 500.

I agree to a certain extent. I still use my notebook to create mock ups, but nothing beats balsamiq's demo-ability. The fact that you can take a mock up and make it interactive, and show the real flow is amazing. I have taken our mock ups done in balsamiq to design meetings, and it makes it extremely easy.

The thing I like about pen and paper is that I can go hang at the local coffee house or library or park, and not have to worry about wifi. Also, a guy scribbling in a book isn't as stared-unwelcomingly as a guy with a laptop.

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#22

Post by bitlather1 » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 1:24 AM UTC

I like Balsamiq because it's easy to work with and the jagged edges boldly state "I am a prototype, not the final product"

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#23

Post by michaelbuddy » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 3:22 AM UTC

If you work on Windows and want something with full vector graphic drawing, take a look at Xara Designer Pro or Xara Web Designer Premium. You'll have drawing capabilities like with Illustrator, but it's faster and you can assign things as buttons and mockup working websites.

You can make working dropdown menus too.

It produces a lot of absolute positioned css code, so it's not integrated with any web framework but does render pixel perfect.

I'm not sure how it would handle a responsive site, probably not, but you could quickly mockup the mobile version though.

You might also look at Corel Draw too.

If you want free, again Pencil, Inkscape or try the Google Draw templates - http://mortenjust.com/2010/04/19/a-wireframe-kit-for-google-...

another recommend for draw.io and also look the maqueta software - http://maqetta.org/news/2011/ibm-contributes-maqetta-html5-v...

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#24

Post by tallofrenzy » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 11:23 AM UTC

chris_mahan wrote: post #14

Pen and paper. If I need to have an electronic version, I take a picture with my 8 megapixels phone camera and I email it. It's the fastest tool, but it does require knowing how to draw straight lines. It also leaves management under no illusion that the thing is "almost done". I work at a company in the top 15 of the Fortune 500.

Unfortunately,with pen and paper, it gets clumsy when you have to erase (even if you use a pencil/eraser)..

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#25

Post by professorTuring » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 3:35 PM UTC

I use the well known InkScape http://inkscape.org

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#26

Post by aespinoza » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 4:27 PM UTC

chris_mahan wrote: post #21

aespinoza wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree to a certain extent. I still use my notebook to create mock ups, but nothing beats balsamiq's demo-ability. The fact that you can take a mock up and make it interactive, and show the real flow is amazing. I have taken our mock ups done in balsamiq to design meetings, and it makes it extremely easy.

The thing I like about pen and paper is that I can go hang at the local coffee house or library or park, and not have to worry about wifi. Also, a guy scribbling in a book isn't as stared-unwelcomingly as a guy with a laptop.

Definitely, if Wifi is a problem, then a notebook or whiteboard is fine. Most of the time, when I have demoed wifi isn't a problem :D

Re: Ask HN: what tools do you use for UI mockups?

#27

Post by chris_mahan » Wed, Apr 17, 2013, 4:38 PM UTC

tallofrenzy wrote: post #24

chris_mahan wrote: post #14

Pen and paper. If I need to have an electronic version, I take a picture with my 8 megapixels phone camera and I email it. It's the fastest tool, but it does require knowing how to draw straight lines. It also leaves management under no illusion that the thing is "almost done". I work at a company in the top 15 of the Fortune 500.

Unfortunately,with pen and paper, it gets clumsy when you have to erase (even if you use a pencil/eraser)..

That can be a problem. I usually just make all the changes I need (gets scribbly fast) then turn the page and copy the good stuff to a new page. This works because I can draw fast.