
There's a time and a place for everything, and the visual and technical details should be decided later on, after the format and structure are solidified. You create them early on, usually the first step (or second, if you prefer sketching first), and dedicate time solely to answering crucial layout, structure and organisation questions before the team iterates on visual details.įor this reason, wireframes are low fidelity. Wireframes are like the blueprint of your design scheme. Knowing that there isn't exactly a 'best' process (only the right process), let's explore what each type of design looks like. Alternatively, you might follow a process favoured by designer Steven Bradley in which you progress from wireframes to mockups and finish in code (opens in new tab).

For example, sometimes skipping mockups and creating a lo-fi prototype early on (opens in new tab) is what's best for your project. In general, this correlates to the level of fidelity, which usually rises as you move forward.Īgain, this is an oversimplification and not a rule set in stone. It's a gross oversimplification, not taking into account the countless variables in between, but for our purpose of explaining the basics, it's a good foundation.
