7 Ways How Wireframing Can Help You Avoid Product Development Blunders

When constructing a building engineers don’t just start laying the bricks and bonding them with cement. The primary task is to design the architecture of the house. The design documents will show a representation in a blueprint format of what the new building will look like. The sizes of the rooms, access points, position of stairs and how the services will be integrated. In a software design, a similar process must be followed to have a clear blueprint to hand before the software is finally developed. This is a prerequisite but unfortunately this step is often skipped on certain projects. For software the process is called wireframing.

What is Wireframing?

Web developers often don’t want to waste time designing a site architecture and verifying it from the client. This common mistake is likely to lead to a poorly designed digital product that will never be capable of achieving its business goal or original purpose.

A wireframe is a black and white blueprint which vividly depicts the framework of the proposed system. It is devoid of any color, logo, or visual elements that may shift the client focus from the structural layout. A wireframe shows the navigation, size and placement of elements, tabs and drop-down menus, orientation of different webpages, conversion forms, and the Call To Action (CTA) buttons. In short, it is an embryonic version of how the digital product will look when it is fully developed.

A wireframe is a simple 2D architecture of the website or app. It doesn’t allow clicks and navigation through the interface, like a prototype. What it does express is a more detailed sketch of the site over the flow charts of a sitemap, that helps the developer and the client to visualize the product outcome and make modifications at an early stage.

Why is Wireframing necessary?

Wireframing is not an extra step in the process of website development. Rather it’s the foundation on which the success of the entire process depends. To acknowledge the importance of wireframing, let’s dive deeper into how it helps to avoid product development blunders.

Visualize architecture

Sitemaps are abstract flow charts that do not convey the layout of the digital product. Wireframes are the first visual elements that considers page goals and visitor purpose, and design the information flow through primary pages, subpages, conversion funnels, and navigation tabs. They clearly communicate the look of the site to the client and the developer.

Clarify website features

Technical jargon like “dynamic slideshow”, “Google map integration”, “product filtering”, “breadcrumb” may not mean anything to the client. A comprehensive outline of the website or app features, where they will be placed, and how they will function will enable the client to communicate expectations and modify the structure according to needs. The client may opt out of a feature they think doesn't add to the site’s value and optimize the digital product to suit the business goal.

Focus on usability

A wireframe is a sketchy image without branding or color so it is more likely to hold the attention of the reviewer to the main objective of the site or software product. It focuses on the usability and core functionalities of the app features, and how they integrate together to provide a smooth flow. Wireframes help identify flaws and look into details like naming of links, feature placement, conversion paths and the overall navigation pathways.

Predict scalability and upgradation

When a digital solution is developed it may feature a few products and limited content for the visitors. Over time, the content and products will probably increase in number and volume. A wireframe depicts whether the site is capable of accommodating the scaling and updation without affecting its design and basic framework.

Iterate on design process

Wireframing keeps architecture and creativity on separate pages. Before moving ahead to prototyping and mock-ups when the design is at an advanced stage, wireframing gives an opportunity to iterate and rectify flaws at the grassroot level. This saves time and budget and eliminates the hassle of reworking on an already developed site.

Save time

Wireframes give a more clear picture to the development team about what they are being tasked to build and how the content should be designed. It facilitates modifications and tweaks at the very beginning to avoid hacks at the later stage. This saves time and expense of changing a site when it is already designed and developed.

Refine content arrangement

The content of your website or app is one of the most important elements to hold the attention of users. Large blocks of unsegmented texts look clumsy and uninviting leading to increased bounce rates. Wireframing helps you to arrange your content placement and refine its look at an early stage.

Final Thoughts

Developers might be in a hurry to complete the web development process and launch, but skipping the crucial step of wireframing leads to major blunders in the site that later needs extensive reworking.

At Deventure, we always believe in spending adequate time and effort in fixing designing issues at the very beginning. We ensure a curated and systematic process of web development, so that our final product can bring a smile to your face.

Get an insight into our process now!