Spoilt for Choice

Which prototyping tool is right for you?

Balsamiq Mockups

Balsamiq Mockups

MockflowMockflow

PowerpointPowerpoint

ProtoshareProtoshare

Designer Vista

Designer Vista

Axure RP Pro

Axure RP Pro

PetraPetra

Easy Prototype

Easy Prototype

JustinmindJustinmind

Fluid IAFluid IA iPlotz

iPlotz

FlairbuilderFlairbuilder

SimulifySimulify

SketchFlowSketchFlow

Visio Professional

Visio Professional

MockupScreens

MockupScreens

OmniGraffleOmniGraffle

PencilPencil

ForeUIForeUI

DenimDenim

SketchFlowSketchFlow

FireworksFireworks

RapidRabb.it

RapidRabb.it

Lucid SpecLucid Spec

Flash Catalyst

Flash Catalyst

GUI Design Studio

GUI Design Studio

HotGlooHotGloo

iRiseiRise

What we looked for…

How long did it takePlatformCostCollaborate with othersInteractive wireframesEasy to learnExport optionsLikesDislikes

Created a simple wireframe

Balsamiq Mockups

Platform DesktopCost $79Interactive prototypes NoExporting PNG or XML onlyEasy to learn Yes

No keyboard shortcuts

No keyboard shortcuts

no SHIFT drag to contrain

angle

no SHIFT drag to contrain

angle

Great library of drag ‘n’ drop

shapes

Great library of drag ‘n’ drop

shapes

Mockflow

Platform OnlineCost Free for basic editionInteractive prototypes Yes, but only very basicExporting PNG and PDFEasy to learn Yes

VERY basic interactivity

VERY basic interactivity

hard to select multiple objects

hard to select multiple objects

Very simple and easy

Very simple and easy

create decent wireframes

quickly

create decent wireframes

quickly

set of widgets and icons are

good

set of widgets and icons are

good

Protoshare

Platform Online (Firefox only)Cost $19 per monthInteractive prototypes YesExporting Yes! (many options – could be best of breed)Easy to learn Yeah, sort of

Collaboration features seem

good

Collaboration features seem

goodIt's a

little slow

It's a little slow

Designer Vista

Platform WindowsCost $80Interactive prototypes NoExporting HTML onlyEasy to learn Takes some effort

Easy drag and drop shapes

Easy drag and drop shapes

Shortcuts not always

provided

Shortcuts not always

provided

Good search functions

Good search functions

Resizing objects not

easy

Resizing objects not

easy

Hard to create nav menus

Hard to create nav menus

Justinmind

Platform Windows and MacCost $690Interactive prototypes Yes. Takes some fiddling around to "get it"Exporting HTML, MS WordEasy to learn Yes for basics, interactive stuff is a bit tricky

A step-up from basic

prototyping tools

A step-up from basic

prototyping tools

Entering requirements descriptions is not intuitive

Entering requirements descriptions is not intuitive

Couldn’t work out how

masters work

Couldn’t work out how

masters work

Worth checking out

Worth checking out

Expense not justified…yet

Expense not justified…yet

Fluid IA

Platform Online (Beta…maybe?)Cost FreeInteractive prototypes DunnoExporting DunnoEasy to learn Impossible to use

Worst tool of all

Worst tool of all

Not sure if it’s in beta

Not sure if it’s in beta

Wouldn’t recommend it

Wouldn’t recommend it

iPlotz

Platform Online, Windows and MacCost Online – Free, Desktop - $75Interactive prototypes YesExporting PDF, JPG, PNG, PreviewEasy to learn Yeah, sort of

Looks really nice, works smoothly

Looks really nice, works smoothly

Widgets are in alphabetical

order

Widgets are in alphabetical

order

Nice commenting

feature

Nice commenting

feature

Interactivity is only very basic

Interactivity is only very basic

Devil in the detail….

Devil in the detail….

Online hosting of preview

Online hosting of preview

Flairbuilder

Platform Windows and MacCost $99Interactive prototypes YesExporting PNG, JPEG, XML. HTML coming soonEasy to learn Yeah, sort of

"undo" limit seems to be

limitless

"undo" limit seems to be

limitless"snap to

guide" feature is too sensitive

"snap to guide" feature is too sensitive

Great for creating

prototypes of forms

Great for creating

prototypes of forms

Widgets are interactive by

default

Widgets are interactive by

default

Text boxes automatically

resize

Text boxes automatically

resize

Simulify

Platform Online and Windows, Mac & LinuxCost Online - Free, Desktop $89Interactive prototypes YesExporting UnsureEasy to learn No…because it appears to be buggy

a lot of features that

don't work well

a lot of features that

don't work well

online version seems to be

buggy

online version seems to be

buggy

Mockup Screens

Platform WindowsCost $100Interactive prototypes Not reallyExporting HTML and PDFEasy to learn Yes

The skins feature is ok

The skins feature is ok

lacks important

functionality

lacks important

functionality

JustProto

Platform OnlineCost $19 / monthInteractive prototypes NoExporting No exporting (in planning)Easy to learn Yes

Masters are good

Masters are good

Can only apply one master

per page

Can only apply one master

per page

Very quick to use

Very quick to use

Lacks functionality

Lacks functionality

Some bits in Polish

Some bits in Polish

Can add other users to edit

Can add other users to edit

OmniGraffle Platform Mac Cost $99

Pencil

Platform Firefox on Windows onlyCost FreeInteractive prototypes NoExporting PNG onlyEasy to learn Yeah, sort of

It’s a Firefox addon!

It’s a Firefox addon!

Editing elments is

quirky

Editing elments is

quirky

It’s free! It’s free!

Hard to useHard to use

Fireworks

Platform Windows and MacCost $299Interactive prototypes YesExporting PNG, HTMLEasy to learn Yeah, takes some time though

selecting layers and objects is seemless

selecting layers and objects is seemless

wireframes look too boxy

wireframes look too boxy

ForeUIForeUI

Platform Windows + Mac (Disk image)Cost $79Interactive prototypes Yes. Takes some fiddling around to "get it'Exporting PNG, PDF, HMTLEasy to learn Yes for basics, interactive stuff is a bit tricky

Allows multi-selection of

objects

Allows multi-selection of

objects filling an

object with colour is weird

filling an object with

colour is weird

Beige city!Beige city!

Axure RP Pro

Platform Windows (Mac version in development)Cost $589Interactive prototypes YesExporting HMTL, JPG (etc), MS WordEasy to learn Yes for basics, interactive stuff is a bit tricky

Using masters saves time

Using masters saves time

Crappy default library

Crappy default library

Interactivity is powerful

Interactivity is powerful

Steep learning curve for

interactivity

Steep learning curve for

interactivity

Specification output is great

Specification output is great

Lousy HTML output

Lousy HTML output

Denim

Platform Windows, Unix, and Mac Cost FreeInteractive prototypes NoExporting HTML onlyEasy to learn Noooooo!

OMG!OMG!

OMG!OMG!

OMG!OMG!

OMG!OMG!

Expression Blend 3 + SketchFlow

Platform WindowsCost $599Interactive prototypes YesExporting MS WordEasy to learn Yeah, takes time though

Clients can add comments to wireframes

Clients can add comments to wireframes

Too much control!

Too much control!

Workflow representation

(Sketchflow Map) is great

Workflow representation

(Sketchflow Map) is great

It’s powerfulIt’s powerful

Pidoco

Platform OnlineCost 10 Euro/monthInteractive prototypes Yes. exports an online prototypeExporting HTML onlyEasy to learn Yes

Collaboration Collaboration

Feels a bit clunky. Lagged

at times

Feels a bit clunky. Lagged

at times

Feels a bit unfinished and

unpolished

Feels a bit unfinished and

unpolished

Lucid Spec

Platform WindowsCost $500Interactive prototypes YesExporting UnsureEasy to learn Not really

Broad range of features

Broad range of features

1995?1995?

drop down menus where

you select True/False

drop down menus where

you select True/False

Hard to select layered

objects

Hard to select layered

objects

Flash Catalyst

Platform Windows and MacCost Free (in Beta)Interactive prototypes YesExporting UnsureEasy to learn Unsure

GUI Design Studio

Platform WindowsCost $200Interactive prototypes YesExporting UnsureEasy to learn Kind of for basics, interactive stuff a bit tricky

IntutiveIntutive

No search functions

No search functions

Good range of shapes

available

Good range of shapes

available

HotGloo

Platform OnlineCost Free (…for the time being)Interactive prototypes Yes. Takes some fiddling around to "get it'Exporting JPG only (export one jpg at a time)Easy to learn Yes for basics, interactive stuff is a bit tricky

online collaboration looks pretty

good

online collaboration looks pretty

good

You can't group shapes!

You can't group shapes!

Can create masters

Can create masters

limited keyboard shortcuts

limited keyboard shortcuts

iRise

Platform WindowsCost $7,000. That’s right, $7,000!Interactive prototypes Yes - Complex Exporting Options mostly for iRise's own softwareEasy to learn No

ability to make fully functional

websites

ability to make fully functional

websites

Insanely expensive!

Insanely expensive!

Very steep learning curve

Very steep learning curve

ComplexComplex

Wrap up…

Gold star

Honorable mention

Avoid like the plague

Expression Blend + SketchflowAxure

ProtoShare (collaboration)iPlotz (for comments)HotGloo (free…for now)

Fluid IASimulifyDenim

Thank you

Melinda MaherKristian MartinRicardo EscalonSafa FatayerjiKatherine Alsop

The makers of Justinmind, Flairbuilder, JustProto, Axure, Expression Blend + Sketchflow

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anyuser/2737879402/

Thank you

Keep in touch:

Suze IngramUser Experience Designer at Stamford Interactivewww.stamfordinteractive.com.au

suze.ingram@gmail.com@suzeingramsuzeingram.blogspot.com

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anyuser/2737879402/