Für den Kollegen Evans sind Wireframes im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes Gedankenstützen, die ihm helfen ein Problem zu explorieren, strukturieren und zu lösen.
For me, wireframes act as a form of ‘thinking device’ for the setting and exploration of a given problem space [...]. I use my sketches and wireframes as means to make explorative moves and assess the consequences of those moves. As I explore the problem space, I could relatively easily keep the design models in my head, but I would fail in my primary objective to create a framework for a conversation among the stakeholders, the intended audience, and me.
Hier die Zusammenfassung seines Vorgehens…
My design process could best be described as going from a phase of divergence, through a phase of transformation, to a phase of convergence. Throughout every phase, wireframes are presented to stakeholders for critique and conversation.
…und Details zu dessen drei Schritten:
During the divergent phase, the constraints and possibilities of the design situation are explored. I try to find facts in the design situation that are stable and hold on to them throughout the process. Large parts of this phase consist of gathering information and trying to understand and formulate the design problem and often times are informed by early conceptual models I have sketched. By generating a number of wireframes, I can explore alternatives. All the impossible and conceivable ideas are presented, tested, and in many cases, tossed away. [...]
In the transformation phase, I decrease the number of alternatives, and the scope of my designs narrows as the wireframes speak back to me. I begin to toss out really bad ideas that I might have fancied in the beginning. It’s usually at this point that I go back and read the requirements document and try to understand the complete ecosystem of stakeholder and business needs, and address those in the context of my primary design goal: an elegant solution to the primary epistemic activity of my core audience. [...]
During the ‘convergence’ stage, I create two or three candidates for final consideration. I use annotations to empower the wireframe to plead its case to stakeholders and targeted testers.
Neben dem ganzen Artikel lohnt es sich auch einen Blick in die Kommentare zu werfen.
→ Shades of Grey – Wireframes as Thinking Devices
Außerdem hat Will noch eine kurze Präsentation zu dem Thema erstellt: