Normally a post describing a site launch doesn’t grab my attention, as they cover the same ground (base level descriptions of the design process, technologies used, how great the client is etc.). But the write-up the launch of Dangerbird Records by Athletics, a design firm out of Brooklyn includes a discussion of their home-grown prototyping methods, which is not something you see every day.
I’m constantly refining the process I follow to create wire frames and prototypes. I’m close to a good solution, but it is continually out of reach. Much like the team at Athletics, I’ve investigated Axure RP and similar products, finding them to be much too large for my needs. They’re great for complex, enterprise apps, but they aren’t built for Web apps and sites (they are trying to shift, but I think that will merely lead to larger, more complex apps). I have tinkered with straight up comps and even light weight Web sites, but neither quite meets the need. For the moment I have settled on building wire frames in Visio, followed up by conversations that arise to discuss small details and interactions. No matter how many notes and call outs I add to a wire frame, questions arise.
Wireframes are not ideal for describing the richness and possibilities that are inherent in a Web application.
Prototypes on the other hand are great for conveying placement and interactions without implying design, but they can be time consuming initially as components need to be built and actions and results must be wired together. The Athletics team appear to have found a good method – using Flash plus a little bit of ActionScript to produce fully interactive and informative prototypes. It still requires some of that up-front work, but it is balanced by the ability to quickly revise the prototypes, and more importantly reduces misunderstandings and questions.
If I can carve out some time I will explore this method to see if it’s feasible for my work, but at a minimum it has placed Flash into the toolbox as a possibility for future prototyping projects.