Interaction is what gets us going in today’s society. Everything we create, read, watch and witness can and will be shared via multiple channels of interaction. Smartphones and tablets have replaced laptops and computers in terms of indispensability, the old, trusty mouse gives way to digital platforms, everything is about ease of access and fast sharing.
The needs of our generation have been answered through responsive design. That being said, web design and web development have never been more challenging! Responsive requirements keep growing in number and complexity, and simple mockups just won’t do anymore. Which is why responsive design specialists have turned their eye towards something which, at a point, seemed a bit too pretentious, but, as the numbers show, is what actually works best.
Choose Your Weapon
Introducing prototypes to your workflow demands more than just crazy talent, it’s about focusing on all aspects relevant to your client and/or your end user. A world of touch-based apps, a thing of the future as we once thought, is happening today, so interaction and fluidity are crucial elements to be taken into account when designing responsively.
It’s very important to choose the prototype tool that you feel the most comfortable using and that rises up to your requirements. One of the most popular (and neat!) prototyping tools out there is Origami, Facebook’s toolkit for the Apple-based Quartz Composer. This is open sourced, completely free and it worked out just fine for Facebook’s Creative Labs so far.
Beautiful prototyping can also be achieved withAvocado, a set of tools built on the same Apple playground by IDEO. Also a great tool, especially for mobile interaction, isFramer.js.
The beauty of prototyping stems from the wide palette of display options at your fingertips. Basically, you can create anything from simple sketches or wireframes to more intricate user flow systems governing every interactive feature.
Creating It Right To Make The Right Decision
In the decision process or debate over, let’s say, a new product, you need to have it all perfectly defined so that potential problems can be identified before even reaching the testing department. Another important thing you need to consider is how easily will it be implemented by the web engineer. It’s all a matter of intelligently constructed information and ease of access that will make your work fit the bill. Some still see prototypes as complicated toys, some say it’s hard work worth doing. Who knows? At the end of the day, you might just realise it’s a tool you can’t live without.
