Wireframe Examples and Benefits for Business Analysts
Everything has a foundation with an interior and an exterior to support its construction. And business or personal websites are no different. That is why business analysts use wireframes to have a clear picture of the webpage they are looking to create. Wireframes are the skeletons, blueprint and essential component to your websites designs.
Steps to construction sites exist, and they do for a reason, or everything are susceptible to crumble. Neglecting wireframes can lengthen the process of website designs because once you entirely design it, you have to take it back to the beginning rather than if you were to do a wireframe, critique could be given. Wireframes are a visual presentation, so, they are easily flexible, and the designers can bring changes in accordance with the business. So here are a few wireframes examples and its benefits for business analysts?
What is a wireframe?
It is the first step of the website design process. A wireframe is a two-dimensional sketch of a website page. It visually guides you through the skeletal framework of the web page, from the entire layout to the disposition of the page’s content.
But of course, it is not a “OK we have a business, and we can start our website now”. A framework also requires thought and process. Therefore, research should be done, inspiration found so that when the business analyst designs it, the clients would appreciate the finish product. After all, they are the design’s map for your client. Their enjoyment of your constructed design is what matters most as well. The structure of the framework should be explicit.
The design process could either be used with a digital tool or on a paper with a pen or pencil. And the wireframe concentrate on the system screen, the information, functionalities and the piloting of the different pages, basically where everything goes.
There are a few types of wireframes:
- You have the low-fidelity prototypes, which represent the first actual visual ideas of the wireframe designed by the business analyst. The wireframe is made so that the client and designer can see the basics and understand the functionalities, content and more of the website. Even though, it is considered to be the simplest step of the development phase, business analysts can add and create whatever features the client would like, and easily modify what would be unnecessary.
- You have the medium-fidelity prototype, which are created in greyish tone, they
- Then there are the high-fidelity prototypes, that are the one but last step before the final result of the product. At this stage, most of the designs are complete, the components and the functionalities
How do you create a business analyst wireframe?
Who is it for?
What will be considered to be important?
How will the users interact with it?
Once you have the answers to the main questions, you can pursue with the configuration of the wireframe.
- Talk to stakeholders: So you can understand their needs for the site, the importance of the pages and customers’ interaction, and meet their requirements. They describe the layout of the site, the use they want it to have for their users, and more.
- Buttons should be visible: Don’t get to fancy with designing each button with different shapes. There is no need to confuse the user, keep it simple. If the site is for commercial purposes, then you want those users to get to that finish line.
- Create hierarchy on the site: The user should be able to navigate easily through your website. There shouldn’t be too many drop down menus
- Create grids and use boxes: These distinguish page elements. Is it a copy, image or ads?
- Add your text: No website is complete without text. The user should know where he is going and where the site will lead him if he clicks on something. It makes the understanding of the site easier.
- Share with other people: Sometimes what you might have missed can easily be spotted by someone else. It avoids mistakes.
What should it include?
It basically depends on what you want to add to your wireframe prototypes. And the more you add such as images, typefaces etc., the higher the fidelity of your wireframe will be. So, what should they include?
It basically relies on who it is being done for, what stages you are at.
The low-fidelity prototypes are usually rough layouts of the screen. They convey the concept of the future design, but not the specifics. Everything is a sequence of boxes linked together, representing the general zones' idea, that is to say, where things will go. Sometimes corners are connected with an X to show a photo or more.
The medium-fidelity prototypes are a bit more accurate in terms of designs. They are still mostly done in black and white. Details of the wireframe’s components are generally revealed by a body of texts explaining the purpose of each zone or block. Those zones, in turn, indicating whether they are the heading or regular body of content. At this point the visual is more apparent.
Finally, you have the high-fidelity prototypes, that are the one but last step to the webpage design. Pixels, images and typography are added to the layouts. Different shades of grey could be used to differentiate the contents.
Differences with Mock-Up or User Interface Prototype
Though, the terms may be used interchangeably. There are still some differences when it comes to mock-up and user interface design. The name of user interface prototype says it all. But we’ll take a closer look at why they differ and at what they mean?
Mockups are static diagram that are a bit more specific than wireframes. Colours, fonts and pages dispositions are added at this point. As it also requires more effort because of the details, the designer will use digital tools. Usually, more than one are created and to propose the many ideas to the client and realistically portrayed to make it easily understandable for any future modifications. But, do not be fooled as they are not usable nor clickable.
Prototypes are the interactive part of the mock-ups. They could be considered as the finished product, but are not. Most of the elements of the real results are added. They are extremely crucial to see how a future user would interact with the final product. And, are essential for users’ feedback.
Is a wireframe important?
It ensures that the project management and the stakeholders’ expectations for the system to be are aligned, to easily allow the pursuit process of the finished product.
You can observe if the system delivery is up to par with the business requirements. In order to do so, every data should be available for the development team and process. User roles, abilities etc. should be determined and are visible thanks to wireframes.
Wireframing helps business analysts to see if requirements are aligned and if not, he relays the easy spotted problem or solution, tweaks to the designer, for the functions, erasing big issues from the system development and delivery of the finished product.
Therefore, information relays take less time and leads to rapid confirmation on both sides, that is to say the business analyst and designer.
Wireframe examples for business analyst
You have the manual wireframe: It is probably the most convenient in terms of accessibility everywhere. You could draw it as long as you are equipped with a pen and a paper.
The wireframe with user journey: It involves personal portfolios. It can include contacts, context etc.
Wireframe with multiple search options: It pretty much says it all.
Mobile and desktop wireframes: It is important to cater to all electronic devices. You will have noticed that when you are on your phone, and you access a website, it usually asks if you would like to switch to the mobile version or continue on the web.
So, how will you pursue designing your sites from now on?
Wireframes are extremely important, they are less time-consuming and business analysts can put a visual image to the ideas of the website. The designer would also be able to easily manipulate the design because he would have taken it step by step rather than waiting until the end to modify mistakes. It is always better to modify along the way then finish that no one like because he wasn’t able to see or interact with the prototypes.
Start wireframing today.