Wireframing: Laying the Foundations for Success
Not all developers are too excited by the idea of wireframing. They feel that it's the kind of work more suitable for UI/UX developers. They'd rather just jump into writing code. And I can understand the feeling. There's no code, no excitement. What's the point?
Wireframing
Before anything else, preparation is the key to success - Alexander Graham Bell.
What are wireframes?
Wireframes serve as blueprints or skeletons of an app or website. They outline the bare bones of essential webpages, components, and functionalities, including things like screen layouts and element interactions.
Wireframes can be a great way to exercise creativity, test ideas, and see what works and what does not. If done correctly, good wireframing can save developers a ton of time and frustration in the development process.
Despite the various benefits it offers, some developers still feel resistance to adopting the practice. The reason might come down to the myths that surround the land of wireframing.
The Myths
UI Design Only
Probably the number one misconception that developers hold about wireframing is that it's only good for UI design. While UI design is a crucial aspect of wireframing, it's not the end-all-be-all. Wireframing can be used to capture implementation details as well. Things like data flow and relationships, component boundaries, state management, and performance considerations can be expressed on a high level in a well-done wireframe. In this way, wireframes can be used to start a dialogue with fellow developers about the more technical aspects of the project.
Pixel-Perfect
The idea of wireframing can seem daunting if you believe in this myth. "I have to capture every single aspect of the UI?" No. You can, if that's your goal, but it's not a non-negotiable law in the book of web development. Wireframing is a highly adaptable process. You can carry it out to the desired level of detail and stop. It's not the destination. It's meant to serve as a starting point, a guiding beacon of light.
Creative Bottlenecks
Some feel that wireframes lock them into a rigid design and limit creativity. However, wireframes are only meant to serve as a framework, as an outline. You can still have plenty of room to play with specific design choices, animations, and micro-interactions. Think of wireframes as a kind of baseline. You can deviate from it in the wake of a brilliant idea. However, if it does not work or you feel stuck, you can always return to the baseline and continue from there.
For Designers Only
No part of web/app development is completely compartmentalized. All phases of the development and design process are interconnected. While some developers may feel that wireframing is exclusively the domain of UI/UX designers, the truth is that developer input is crucial in wireframing. How many times have you, as a developer, felt that wireframes created by a UI designer were too ambitious, and too complex for execution, especially within the constraints of the situation? By engaging in the wireframing process, developers can help manage expectations and avoid the creation of impossible-to-execute wireframes.
Conclusion
Wireframing is a crucial part of the development process. However, many developers see wireframing as cumbersome, unnecessary, or both. Such thinking is often a result of belief in some prevalent myths surrounding the practice. Wireframing is more than just about UI design. It can also be used to inform decisions about the more technical aspects of the project. Overall, it can be a powerful way to foolproof and guide the development process and developer engagement can help fine-tune requirements and management expectations.
