Wireframe applications

[Travoli]

...anyone use one?  Any recommendations?
I am looking at Hot Gloo and Pencil Project..

Ah heck, here's a good list with some iPhone solutions:
http://speckyboy.com/2010/01/11/10-completely-free-wireframe-and-mockup-applications/

[rcjordan]

I haven't used any of these. The only one I've heard of is Cacoo but I like the look of Pencil and Prototype Composer.  I tend to favor simple, get-er-done, low-learning-curve programs that have stencils. I think the hand-drawn look is a deterrent and tends to use too much layout board workspace.  So looking only at the screenshots, I'd pick Pencil,fwiw.

 I used to use Pagemaker for 'sketching' back in the early 90's. The screenshot of Prototype Composer looks a lot like Pagemaker. Currently, I use Sketchup for 3d layouts (rooms, media centers, floor plans) but it sucks when it comes to text annotations. For html/site mockups, personally I'd find a template and import it to Citydesk, modify it to suit, then output the html directly.

[Rumbas]

www.axure.com  - EXCELLENT wireframe and prototype software.

[jetboy]

Another vote for Axure RP Pro here. Capable of high-level 'polar bear book' wireframes or something approaching an interactive website.

[agerhart]

Another vote for Axure.

I use it all the time and make all of my guys use it.

[Torben]

I have used Axure a lot and it is great.

However, unless you have a client who is willing to pay for all the time you spend mocking up I would be careful with this tool. There is no way of reusing the mock up when you start developing the site/applicatione so to some extent it's a waste of time.

[Travoli]

Thanks, looks like I know what I'll be trying!

[agerhart]

I mostly use Axure for creating product specs.

So I create a wireframe in Visio or something similar and identify the functional and design aspects of each part of the page.

It then gets kicked to a designer for the mockups.

Once I get the mockups back I plop them into the original Axure file and continue writing the specs w/ full functionality requirements and any other details needed for the developers.

[Travoli]

Whew, she ain't cheap!  But it looks like I could build Travelocity2 in there.  Easy to learn also?

[agerhart]

Very easy

[jangro]

I'm not a wireframe guy, but I came across this today, fwiw:

http://iplotz.com/index.php

[Cowley]

www.axure.com is good, but very complex.

I use this on a few fairly big ecommerce projects: http://balsamiq.com/  It's really easy to use and it costs $79

[Rooftop]

Very surprised that no-one has mentioned Balsamiq mockups.  I've yet to find anything that can mock-up an idea faster and, combined with Napkee it's a few clicks to turn that in to a working prototype.

It's a pretty different approach to Axure, but we find it gets us out of prototype and in to development faster.

[Rooftop]

It's a combination that works well for us.  It's quick enough to use that you can even "work live" in a face to face client meeting to try ideas out. Just make sure they realise that producing the final site isn't as easy!

[dogboy]

...thanks to you guys, I just used Balsamiq to mockup my FB app and it worked like a charm.  I am coming back now to get the name of other one, Napkee, and ask one question...

If Balsamiq is good for mockups... and Napkee apparently simulates/animates them.... is there anything that makes a flow chart out of all this, so you could show a high level diagram of what is going on?  I had a woman draw the following diagram for me, but I could do this if I had something as easy as Balsamiq to use.

Any idea what software she used? Or you know of any software that would work?