What is Wireframe Design? Why it is Important in Web Design

What is Wireframe Design? Why it is Important in Web Design

Wireframes are revered as one of the prominent design tools used in web development for a web design company. A wireframe is an envision tool for representing the proposed structure, functions, and content of a website.

It differentiates the website’s functional elements from graphical elements in such a way that the teams can easily explain the way users interact with the website. Wireframes are devoid of color, logos font choices, or any other real design elements. It purely focuses on a website’s structure.

What is Wireframe Design?

In layman’s language, a Wireframe can be considered as an architectural blueprint. Before you start to build the actual house, you need to first see it in the two-dimensional black and white diagrams.

What Is Wireframe Design? Why It Is Important In Web Design

Center aligned text on all viewport sizes. An illustration showing Profile Wireframe

A Typical Framework Comprises:

a) Key page element including the header, navigation, content objects, footer, etc.

b) Grouping of elements including navigation bars, content areas, sidebars

c) Page title, content objects (headings), navigation links, etc.

d) Text, images and placeholders

Wireframes Usually Focus On:

a) Available range of functions

b) Effect of different scenarios on the display

c) Relative priorities of functions and information

d) Rules for showcasing specific kinds of information

Wireframes may comprise wide-ranging details that can be sectioned into low and high-fidelity. Low-fidelity wireframes resemble an instant mock-up and contain fewer details and are easy to produce.

It uses the Latin filler text or the lorem ipsum, dummy content, or some symbolic content to represent the data when the original content is not available. Since it uses abstract labeling and rectangles to represent the content, these wireframes assist the team to perform operations collectively and with 100% accuracy.

High-fidelity wireframes integrate an intensity of the detail that virtually matches with the actual web page design. It is often used for documenting and takes a longer time to create.

Importance of Wireframe

Why do web designers create the skeletal framework of their web projects? Is it really required! Is it prudent enough to invest fractions of valuable time, while they are stuck with tight deadlines?

Many of the young PSD to WordPress developers get carried away and jump into the fun stuff of creating the website and forget about establishing a strong foundation which is necessary for the success of website and efficiency.

During a wireframe project, a designer has an opportunity to focus more on the user experience. He /she can focus on the important underlying components of the website rather than getting distracted by the embellished images, colours and bombastic fonts. In the long-run, this practice can eliminate the possibility of the changes in the website which might burn a hole in the pocket for any Magento theme development company or it’s clients.

Without Further Ado, Let Me Share the 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Wireframing as an Essential Element for Your Web Design Success.

1. Creating a solid layout and structure

A solid website layout is a prerequisite for a strong foundation. The majority of the companies start the development process with a number of ideas that they would like to induct in the design. Wireframes enables both client and a web designer to work with the common consensus to create a solid structure before implementing it in the designing part.

2. Establishing an informational hierarchy

Use of wireframes allows the companies to focus on the essential information and navigation elements, rather than the style or use of colors. A sitemap with links can be compelling for both client and designer. With a wireframe, designers and clients can make adjustments and promote the page elements that hold more importance than others. Besides, a straightforward black-and-white visual display of the wire frame enables a designer to ensure that the design falls neatly into its place.

3. User Experience

As referred above, wireframes carry immense ability to draw attention towards the basic function and structure of the website. Designers, who don’t consider wireframing important and skip that important phase, have their complete focus on making the website look good. They forget about other important things including functionality, user experience, and usability. It is advisable that a designer eliminates the high-end pictures with effects and other such details and focus on offering the best possible user-experience.

4. A guide to development team

An amazing wireframe offers specific and accurate directions for the developers, cutting down the room for assumptions and doubts. It enhances the build process and makes the company-client bond a lot stronger.

5. Optimizing site navigation

To many, the wireframe acts like a navigation ‘test run’, even though they have not started building a website yet. Your client can easily spot the flaw in the navigation but it would be very difficult for you to correct that issue without the right planning in the beginning. A well-structured wireframe ensures that all the key design elements, C2A, essential pages function flawlessly and offer a good UX.

Simplifies the Project Life Cycle

UX team thoroughly examines the Wireframe project before it is forwarded to the design time. Designers are lucky enough to receive the approved wireframes. This makes the process a lot much easier and simpler, as they (designers) don’t have to spend their time (added pressure too) ensuring the flow is perfect and key design elements are intact. Now, they can simply make a low fidelity wireframe work look like a masterpiece design concept.

Conclusion:

As discussed, one of the prominent benefits of wireframing is its ability to save precious time in a long-run. It may seem more time-consuming at first place to spend initial days on strengthening the wireframe design; it actually saves a lot of time through the entire project life cycle. Also, when the base (wireframe) is well prepared, the final product/website ought to come out flawless.

Bhavin M, co-founder of Icecube Digital, spends much of his time creating simple but valuable content which helps ecommerce entrepreneurs to grow their online business.

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