Wireframing Workshops - Conducting a successful wireframing workshop
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Posted On :
Mar-25-2011
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Article Word Count :
647
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However, wireframing’s ubiquity and esteem do not leave it invulnerable to the snares of the methodological stagnation that often results in poor implementation: bad wireframes.
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Wireframing is a usability method that is incredibly valuable to information architects and user interface designers alike. Consequently, it has skyrocketed in popularity as a structural tool among those creating graphical user interfaces. However, wireframing’s ubiquity and esteem do not leave it invulnerable to the snares of the methodological stagnation that often results in poor implementation: bad wireframes. Thus, it is essential for designers to continue searching for new ways to keep the method fresh while simultaneously determining best practices for its realization as a usability tool. One method for exploring wireframing and improving its capacity as a design tool is the workshop. Workshops are often fountains of innovation for designers in any field and conducting a workshop on wireframing is a good way to keep the technique saturated in the creativity that can only arise through the power of organized brainstorming and idea sharing.
Why use the workshop format?
Hosting a wireframing workshop is all about building a sense of community for the greater good of the technique. Wireframing workshops can bring designers and other industry members together to share new ideas and practices and improve upon those already in existence. Bringing even competitors together is a good strategy because it will provide them with the incentive to introduce their best ideas on new ways of creating wireframes and how to factor wireframing into different types of design processes. Wireframing workshops engender a sense of community and create an atmosphere of mutual exchange among (hopefully friendly) competitors.
How to conduct a successful wireframing workshop
Although it is a benefit to host a wireframing workshop with your industry adversaries, you do not need to. You can keep the wireframing workshop contained to your colleagues, clients, friends, whoever you like. The first thing you should do is decide who you want to be a part of your workshop, when and where it will take place, and how you will organize and structure it. Other successful ingredients of a wireframing workshop include:
• A facilitator with experience in IA and UX design (hopefully, that is you!)
• A space in which workshop attendees can collaborate together without any technological or other logistical constraints
• A good marketing and communications strategy: If you are planning on attracting people outside of your own company, you need to be able to communicate the event to them and convince them why it would be beneficial to come.
• A set of questions, problems, and ideas that can spark the discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• A pro-community and collaboration attitude, particularly one that can be imparted on attendees.
• A good method for capturing, visualizing, structuring and documenting workshop results for use during and after the session. You can experiment with flipcharts, note cards or mindmapping tools. Or why not use a wireframing tool ?
What can you get out of a wireframing workshop?
Holding a wireframing workshop can help you to build community (a concept we are beating like a dead horse) but it can also help you determine:
• How to distinguish the role of the wireframe early on in the project
• Your wireframing audience
• Whether or not the wireframes are for clients to see or solely internal
• When to use high fidelity vs. low fidelity wireframes
• New ideas for wireframing software or ideas on how to improve existing wireframing software tools.
The list of questions a wireframing workshop can answer is endless—it really depends on how well it is facilitated and how willing participants are to share enthusiastically and think creatively. Organizing a wireframing workshop can only serve to enrich your abilities, your team’s abilities, and the community at-large’s abilities, so don’t hesitate to branch out and be a part of something that is forward thinking and collaborative.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Wireframing Workshops - Conducting a successful wireframing workshop_57116.aspx
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Author Resource :
Pidoco.com – Interface Design , Wireframing Software, Wireframes, Wireframe Tool , Interface Design Software, Interface Prototyping, Usability Testing, Wireframes and Clickable Wireframes. GUI Design Software for clickable Wireframes!
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Keywords :
interface design, ui design, ui prototyping, interface design software, interface design tool, wireframe software, wireframe ,
Category :
Computers
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Software
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