Information design projects deal with deep layers of complex information, therefore a supporting structural overview documents, such as sitempaps and page maps, are needed to help in gathering and organizing information.
In web and interactive design, a sitemap is used to help the design team figure out the overall site structure, navigation flow, and navigational nomenclature. A good sitemap should give an overview of the entire site, with its main sections, pages, and sub-level pages.
Organizing the data is the first step to create a flowchart. Once the initial diagram is in place, components can be shuffled and reordered, and categorized. Sitemaps can necessarily be revised and revised again. The next phase of the project should not start before the sitemap get the final approval.
Wireframe is another planning document that acts as a detailed guideline for layout and functionality within the information design piece. While the sitemap provides an overview, wireframes show the finer details of a complex information design project. They map out which elements are most and least important to determine the focal points, and they help determine what other types of information the design needs to accommodate.
There are no rules for creating wireframes. It does not have to look plain and ugly, but it should not look too fancy as well. Overtly designed wireframes can be wrongly assumed to be reflective of the final look and feel of the piece. The main goal is to catalog all the information in layout form without spending too much time and thought applying any specific visual design elements.
Testing throughout the design development cycle ensures that the design becomes more and more focused toward getting it right. The project may cost a bit more if testing is done from the beginning, but it will save money in the long run.
Test your design early and often, don't wait until a lot of time has been spent on the project. Test individual segments of your design. A test can be started early simply using paper prototypes. Once the user experience has been understood, a more elaborate testing can be conducted. Make the testing prototypes look enough like the final product, just don't spend so much time on making the testing prototype look so complete. Testing only needs to be done on a few people from each user group in order to get the big picture.
There are several types of user research and testing. All of them might be employed in a project, sometimes only some of them are conducted, depending on project needs. The types are: concept test, participatory design test, design testing, focus group, usability testing, and beta testing and performance testing.
URLs
- http://www.flowchart.com/
In essence, sitemaps are flowcharts. Therefore, when we need to create sitemaps quickly and easily, we can use flowchart softwares. Flowchart.com is an online browser-based flowchart software. It has a number of useful built-in templates and clip arts for layout. Since our data is stored online, we can work anywhere as long as we have internet connection. We can even collaboratively work on the same flowchart at the same time from different computers. Once we have done, flowchart.com can conveniently export our work into a PDF, PNG, or many other formats.
- http://www.gdoss.com/web_info/web-site-wireframe.php
This website gives a brief explanation about wireframes. However, I posted this link not mainly because of the explanation. It's because this website provides three very good PDF examples of completed professional wireframes.
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