They may sound obscure. But wireframes are actually a core part of the web design project, helping you prioritise UX and reducing subjectivity in the success of your web development project.
The process of conceptualising and designing a website is complex. It requires so many steps, you may think of some of them as superfluous. Do you really need an extra step to build abstract layouts of individual pages, before actually building the pages themselves?
The short answer is yes. Wireframes can enhance a website design project in a variety of ways. In fact, they may just be the secret sauce for making it successful.
To get to that point, of course, you have to understand both the concept and its benefits. Join us for an explanation of what wireframes actually are, and why they should always be part of a website design project.
Let’s start with a basic definition. According to usability.gov, a wireframe is:
“a two-dimensional illustration of a page’s interface that specifically focuses on space allocation and prioritisation of content, functionalities available, and intended behaviours.”
In other words, it’s a basic layout of what a particular page on your website might look like. Wireframes focus on layout, not design. So rather than incorporating colours or imagery, they look to show the relationship of the various elements on the page. Like the hero image, navigation, main content areas, graphics, and calls to action.
You might think of wireframing as an additive. Technically, that might be true. You can go through an entire web design project without them. Starting with the look and feel of the site, aiming for great-looking pages, rather than pages and layouts that deliver frictionless, and simple user journeys.
You can, but that doesn’t mean you should. In fact, building these basic layouts before you get into the design is beneficial in more ways than one.
From visualising your information architecture, to speeding up content creation, and even saving valuable time. Here are a few of the reasons why wireframes are beneficial for any web design project.
The primary reason behind building wireframes is to keep your website functional and user-focused. Your visitors have to be able to easily find their way to the content they need. Regardless of where it might be placed. That straightforward user experience is impossible if you put design ahead of basic layout and structure.
We’ve seen many impressive looking websites, that have even won prestigious design awards. But they don’t actually cater to their users, and so in real terms, are not a success.
These websites usually perform tricks, like hiding the navigation, using unusual layouts, or incorporating different media to look cool. As a result, their visitors usually despise the experience. Like having a garment from one of the more concept heavy fashion catwalks. Beautiful to look at, but impractical to wear day to day.
Wireframes allow you to get the best of both worlds. You can focus on usability first, then layer the design in to serve that usability. Your visitors will be happier, and you’ll be more likely to build your website as an actual business and revenue asset.
Stated differently, they allow you to understand exactly how the various pieces of your core pages relate to each other. You can begin to understand exactly where a headline will stand in relation to the hero image, or how much attention the main content gets, and so on.
That’s especially true when you build wireframes for the various page types you expect your website to have. Your homepage might follow a different layout than your product pages, and yet they might need to have certain elements in common. For example, the site header and primary navigation.
Through wireframing, you can understand exactly how each of these pages make sense within themselves and relate to each other.
In other words, your wireframes demonstrate how your website will function. You can test how additional content might flow on desktop compared to mobile devices, or how a complex multi-tier navigation will work on mobile devices.
A visual representation of that flow helps you better understand usability, and increase your focus on how the information ties together.
If you jump straight into the design of a website, you might be blind-sided by a visual treat. Like an especially appealing graphic, that hides real content or layout problems. Using wireframes, you can put content and layout first, building the right hierarchies and focus areas for your audience to pay attention to.
Using wireframes, you can account for typical online reading patterns. You can also avoid any content that may be difficult to find or use. By putting content and layout first, you can build your website from a functional perspective instead of over focusing on visuals.
A good strategy workshop for website strategy has to include an effort to plan an outline of content, as it ultimately makes up the backbone of your site. However, that content might not be ready at this stage of the project. If that’s the case, wireframes become invaluable in mapping out the way the content flows.
For instance, a wireframe might show an About page that has a 300-word introduction of the business, followed by a paragraph inviting users to meet the team. That paragraph is accompanied by a team photo and directs users to a full ‘meet the team’ page.
Building the wireframe means that this content does not need to be ready yet. Instead, it can provide the basic layout, acting as guidance for a copywriter or marketing team that better focuses their work compared to starting with a blank space.
Usability testing means collecting insights from real members of your target audience about your website. It’s a core component of any user experience-focused website strategy, allowing you to avoid hunches and build your site based on real, valuable data.
Wireframes allow you to start the process early. Before you even build the site, you can begin to gather insights on whether your potential customers are on board with your information architecture. That, in turn, allows you to make adjustments before going too far in the wrong direction.
Finally, though they seem additive and more expensive in the short-term, wireframes can actually have the exact opposite effect in the long run. That’s because they build a more iterative web design process, allowing for earlier and more productive feedback that streamlines the entire project.
Design is largely subjective, but content and layout typically is not. Focusing on the latter first pushes the subjectivity to a later stage, where it can be held in check by already-decided components.
The designs are more calculated, designers know what to hold on to, and you become less likely to start from scratch.
Make no mistake, any web design expert will advocate for wireframes for the exact reasons listed above. The extra data, care, and deliberation related to your layout and information architecture is almost sure to pay off big in the long run.
You can quickly see what’s missing or misplaced, placing functionality and user-friendliness first before getting into the design nuances.
That’s why budgeting in time and resources for wireframes tends to make sense. It helps you get on the right track but most importantly, it prioritises user experience in a way that starting out with design simply can’t. The relatively obscure term is actually a vital part that should be a priority early in your design or redesign process.
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