Design is an ever-changing field, as trends shift and more people go online. Twenty years ago, very few businesses had a digital presence compared to the millions operating brick-and-mortar stores. Today, most companies of all sizes have websites. Because each brand has a unique focus and customer base, determining the best design methods for each client requires meticulous planning.
You must fully understand a business’s needs before developing a website, app or product. How you set things in motion depends on the end user and company goals.
What Are the Differences Between Design Frameworks?
According to Cognitive Market Research, the global web design market is worth an estimated $56.8 billion and will grow 8.5% annually through 2031. With a growing market comes a lot of competition for design work. The more organized you are with your processes, the happier your clients will be and the more referrals you’ll get.
You may use one or more methods to design a site. Understanding what each does and when to utilize it allows you to move between structures and present a viable product to your clients. It’s also easier to make big changes during the planning stage.
Wireframes
Wireframes are one of the most commonly used formats in design. In its simplest form, the wireframe shows the basic layout plan for the site and features that may be added. They work great for early collaboration to get a vision in place for the finished design.
This stage is about effectively communicating the basic ideas of the site effectively to stakeholders, as getting a client on board with the overall design sets the tone of the entire project.
Mock-ups
A mock-up shows the aesthetics of the design and gives the client some things to consider. These are often utilized to show options for the finished product. They are usually based on the wireframe and contain the basic look agreed upon but include a lot more detail, graphics and colors to begin bringing the design to life.
Here, a designer’s job is to do more than just present a visual — the designer essentially becomes a verbal and visual storyteller that narrates to the client how each element will look and function together to meet user needs. As 60% of an innovation leader’s role lies in effective storytelling, and first impressions are 94% design-related, this phase could arguably be the most important when getting clients on board with a final design.
Prototypes
A prototype is usually the final stage before approval. It gives you a chance to test that everything works as intended. Some people call this a staging phase. The client can interact with the interface and see how it functions.
This phase mainly involves guiding clients through different scenarios and use cases, demonstrating the site’s value and effectiveness at meeting consumer needs. It gives the designer’s clients a final chance to ensure they feel confident with their investment before moving forward.
Examples of How to Use Each Type of Model
Most designers will use all three at various stages of the design process. To better understand how each functions, consider a mock design job and see how the designer moves through the different phases of the project.
Phase 1: Concept
The designer meets with a new client and collects ideas to determine what they want for their website design. The customer signs a contract and the designer gets to work. After a bit of research into the industry and what competitors offer, they use a wireframe to lay out what the website will look like.
The client receives a rendering that shows the different pages that will be on the site, as well as the navigation structure and content. Any special features of the design plans for the site are also laid out in the image. Some back and forth tends to happen at this stage.
Phase 2: Aesthetics and Tweaking
Once the client approves the basic concept, the designer gets to work coming up with a design that matches the brand’s personality. They use the wireframe to lay out a background, hero image, icons and headings.
The website is starting to look more like a site, but the elements of the design are not yet clickable or interactive. The client still receives a two-dimensional image for their consideration. At this juncture, they may have a few style changes.
Phase 3: Testing and Final Approval
The final phase of the design process usually moves the concept into a prototype. Webpages are created in a staging area that the designer, client and key players can access.
The designer clicks through each link or button to ensure the site functions as intended. They may also run tests at this time to see how long the pages take to load and what the overall impression from the target audience is. Work is ongoing after approval because the designer must ensure the client is happy with how the site functions.
Use Each Tool at the Right Time
The key to successfully using wireframes, mock-ups and prototypes as a designer is tapping into them at the appropriate time. A strong wireframe can help you sell the website or app concept to a lead, but the prototype shows just what you’re capable of designing and why it will help your customer’s business.
