Why Visio wireframes are outmoded (Was [Sigia-l] NYU IA class description link)

[Donna Maurer]

On 11 Jul 2005 at 9:39, Anders Ramsay wrote:

> The very fact that it is not easy is actually a key reason why you
> should be immersed in it - by producing the wireframes in Visio, we
> are once removed from the actual technology and increase the risk of
> producing something that simply will not work or makes sense in HTML -
> we have to instead continually extrapolate based on our understanding
> of the technology - while with the XHTML/CSS model, we stay close to
> the technology, and can more quickly discover these issues..
> 
This is a good reason *to* document a design in something like visio (or illustrator, 
freehand, whatever). People hire me because I'm a good interaction designer/IA 
with experience in designing for real people and real tasks. I can write XHTML/CSS 
well enough to know what is and isn't possible. However, it is far better for me to 
draw an idea and say to someone who is expert "This is what I'd like to do - can we 
do this/how can we do this". Much better than me limiting the design based on my 
understanding of the technology.

If we communicate well, and this is what documentation and deliverables are for, we 
shouldn't have a situation where we produce something that will not work in HTML.

We all have different skill sets, as do our teams, and should have the freedom to 
choose our communication method based on what best suits the project rather than 
dictating that IAs should do something in a particular way.

I'm glad to see that we all have different ways of doing things - this allows us more 
choice and better communication ;)

Donna

-- 
Donna Maurer
Maadmob Interaction Design

e: donna at maadmob.net
work: 	http://maadmob.com.au/
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