Our conclusion of Rapid Digital Prototyping: It’s got the look and feel of pen and paper, but adds interactivity (making wireframes animated) and accelerates developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration features enable interface designers to new ways to work with much better time allocation, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts.

But even if screen designs have already been made in some high-fidelity graphics software (e.g. InDesign, pidoco° can add value to the design process by bringing interactivity to static screens. Adding ‘click areas’ to the finished screenshots enhance the collaboration and interaction capabilities of a former static screenshot. Colleagues, clients and test users can now easily be integrated in the designs process and online discussions can be held. Just like web conferencing, but with real-time editing never seen before!

The pidoco° interface design software consists of three main modules which complement each other perfectly. They speed up the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.

Clickable wireframes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the web concept, just use the clickable wireframes to perform a one-on-one remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team.

For the people who are into interface design, Rapid Paper Prototyping is an old hat! But ever considered doing screen design on screen?

With pidoco’s web-based wireframe tool, interaction designers and web developers can save valuable time, enhance the creative process and build better websites for the internet.

Rapid Paper Prototyping has already been known to be the solution to get a web-project started. The basic concepts of the layout will be put on paper and discussed within the team. This basic screen concept will then go through an iterative design process by incorporating feedback from other stake holder. This paper prototype will at last act as a guideline for the whole project – from beginning to the end (but is there a real end?). Some interface designers even use these paper sketches for performing usability tests. Retrieving usability errors before programming can save a lot of time and budget, since later changes in the so called ‘finished’ website are minimized.

Anyway, there are some drawbacks to Rapid Paper Prototyping.  Prototypes are only scanned to add to the project documentation and also difficult to collaborate on in larger teams. Scanning paper prototypes and making them ‘clickable’ for testing use cases is also a time consuming task as we all know!

That is why many companies create their wireframes directly in MS PowerPoint or MS Visio and have them distributed to the relevant sources. True, that way one can share the screens more effectively but it is not really more interactive than copying a piece of paper handing it to other stake holders. The Visio-type static wireframes still do not show the real capabilities for test user excitement:  links, dynamic menus and combo-boxes etc. cannot be reproduced effectively and need to be explained individually in long paragraphs. Again, more time and effort has to be invested to get the message across.

A small company from Berlin, Germany has spotted this problem and made it their task to tackle it by providing a simple web-based interface design software.

Our conclusion of interface design software: It’s got the look and feel of handmade scribble prototyping, but adds interactivity (making wireframes animated) and enhances developing speed through re-usable elements and layers. Many (real-time) collaboration modules enable interface designers to new ways to work with much better time allocation, leaving more time for the creative process that really counts.

The pidoco° interface design software consists of three main components which complement each other perfectly. They speed up the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.
Digital prototypes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the use cases, just use the digital interfaces to perform a one-on-one remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team

Everybody who is into screen design, Rapid Paper Prototyping is an old hat! But ever considered doing screen prototyping on screen?

With pidoco’s web-based screen design software, interaction designers and web developers can save valuable time, optimize communication within the team and build better websites for the web.

Rapid Paper Prototyping has already been known to be the solution to get a web-application started. The basic concepts of the layout will be put on paper and shared and iterated within the team. This basic screen concept will then go through an ongoing, sometimes collaborative, design process by incorporating feedback from clients, test users and colleagues. This paper-built prototype will finally act as a rough guide for the whole project – from beginning to the end (but is there a real end?). Some screen-designers even use these very limited paper prototypes for running usability tests. Revealing usability issues in an early stage of development can save a lot of money, since later alterations in the so called ‘finished’ web project are minimized.

However, there are some drawbacks to Rapid Paper Prototyping.  Paper prototypes are difficult to add to the project documentation and also difficult to collaborate on in larger teams. Transforming paper sketches into interactive, digital documents for getting the grip on how workflows are reproduced in the design is also a time consuming task as we all know!
That is why many interface design executives create their prototypes directly in MS PowerPoint or InDesign and have them shared to the relevant sources. True, that way one can share the data more effectively but it is not really more interactive than copying a piece of paper handing it to other stake holders. The prototypes still do not show the real functionality:  links, dynamic menus and work-flows etc. cannot be reproduced effectively and need to be explained individually in long paragraphs. Again, more time and effort has to be invested to get the message across.

The Pidoco GmbH has noticed this problem and made it their task to tackle it by providing a simple web-based interface design software.

Through prefab interface components (e.g. radio buttons, links, navigation items, controls etc.) interface designers can create clickable and animated web or software interfaces within minutes. Without any programming skills, interface designers can focus on the web concept and use cases, site structures and the overall layout of the site, instead of getting lost in details that distract from the overall concept of the site.

The pidoco° wireframe software consists of three main components which complement each other perfectly. They speed up the interface design process and optimize the general workflow in all stages of interactive web design.

Interactive wireframes are quickly sketched with the Prototype Creator (just by drag&drop) and can later easily be shared and reviewed by colleagues, test users or clients. If there is need for even more in-depth feedback on individual aspects of the concept wireframes, just use the digital prototypes to perform a easy to set up remote usability test where moderator and test user are connected remotely by a shared screen and an integrated phone. All modules are aimed to increase productivity of the interface design process and ease communication within the team.