Difference between Wireframe, Mockup, and Prototype

Wireframes, mockups, and prototypes are few of the common terms that are often used. But they are indeed quite mystifying. So let’s take a look at a blog post that explains which tool is helpful for prototyping:

Wireframes, mockups, and prototypes are the key parts of  mobile app design flow.

Wireframe, a low-fidelity medium to present a product, can flawlessly outline structures, layouts, and frameworks. A wireframe is basically the visual illustration of any design. It doesn’t need to focus much on details, but it should be expressive enough to design ideas and should include all the crucial information and features. A wireframe works like a connected network that helps a team to properly understand the project.

The mockup is basically a kind of high-fidelity static design diagram, which exhibits detail, information frames and static content and functions. A mockup looks much like a complete product or prototype, but it’s not too interactive. You can call it a graphic representation.

The prototype is very close to the final deliverables or finished product. Here, processes could be easily replicated and user interaction could be rigorously tested. A well-versed prototype looks too similar to the final deliverables. If a prototype is done early, a lot of time could be saved. Being an exceptional tool, Prototype helps in obtaining user’s feedback and rigorously test the product.

Here’s how to choose a ground-breaking designing tool.

If you are planning to try out new tools, you should always confront the below mentioned questions before taking a tool:

•  Is it worth spending your time in learning those tools?
•  How long will it take to adapt to those new tools?
•  How fast will it actually take to create a prototype by using this tool?

Before deciding for a new tool, you should better consider the following questions also:

•  Is the tool used for creating prototypes is for mobile apps, website, or desktop?
•  What are your exact requirements that you want to meet with the tool? You want to develop wireframes, mockups or prototypes?
•  What are the key functions that are looking to get developed while working with other developers or designers?
•  Will the tool worth taking it?

Let’s take a look at a few pioneering prototyping tools.

Mockplus, Balsamiq Mockup for wireframes and prototypes

With Mockplus you can easily create mockups for mobile and desktop apps. Without any programming knowledge, you can also master this easy-to-use tool. By simple drag & drop you can create interactions. Its templates and pre-designed factors, like pop-up menus, sliding drawers and picture carousels are worth sharing with readers. Additionally, Mockplus supports team collaboration.

Mockplus allows you to quickly and easily create mockups.

If you are looking to design a Wireframe, Balsamiq Mockup is the best to get that done. Because its interface operation is flawless, simple, and wireframes created by it imbibes hand-painted style and very simple lines. This ground-breaking tool provides various commonly used factors, which allows designers and crafters to focus more on the design pattern, rather than on the visual effects. However, for interaction designs, Balasmiq is not so useful.

Sketch, Illustrator, and Photoshop for mockup

Sketch is a light weighted, flawless and easy-to-use vector design tool, which is highly effective for designing wireframes and mockups. But it comes with a few disadvantages including: it doesn’t have dynamic and interactive features and functions. That’s why it doesn’t perform well for product features and the related logic; it just supports Mac. The features it includes are hierarchical structure with the prototype file. It’s mostly used functions are absolute; shortcut keys are cost-effective and easy to use. It comes with a variety of component libraries, shortcuts and templates which are very rich.

However, it is one of the commonly used platforms. And a lot of designers in visual design are using Photoshop and Illustrator for designing prototype as they are in the habit of creating Photoshop wireframes. However, to functionally operate the two simultaneously, it’s relatively complex.

Conclusion

So every tool comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. You have to be clear and precise on the purpose of designing, whether you are looking to design wireframes, mockups or prototypes.

Hope you enjoyed reading the post. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.