The Importance of Wireframing for a Responsive Website

May 26, 2016 / Nirav Shah

A website wire frame is a basic design draft done before any artwork and used in web design to show the structure of a website, custom user paths, most important user interface elements, their position and relationships between website pages.

Wire frames layout in black and white schematically show most important elements in the interface such as header, footer, contact form, navigation.

Wire framing is a process that can significantly decrease the amount of time required in design and development by removing potential visual distractions and focusing the attention of project stakeholders on vital functionality and strategic marketing factors.

Here are a few key reasons why you should always use wire frame:

• Allows you get a clear picture of what information will be needed on each page before design.
• Allows you to spend time and really focus on what each page’s purpose is. Careful planning is paramount.
• Allows you a fail-safe for uneducated clients who tend to change their minds during the design phase of the project. If the site is planned out properly in the wire frame stage the functionality of the individual pages shouldn’t change much.
• Allows you to set a fallback point. When a client signs off on a wire frame that means they agree to what’s on that page. Education of the client also plays an important role here as well as they need to know that changing items already signed off on the wire frame can and probably will bloat the budget.
• Allows you to have a clear look at how the site will react to various visitors without the clutter of color or design elements.
• Allows you to remove any clutter that may be added to to the site that may be unnecessary and detrimental to the site goal.
• They’re easily adjustable (pre-signoff) and easy to produce allowing the planning process to move along smoothly and efficiently.
• Reduces the chance of scope creep.
• Gives the designer a clear view of what needs to be designed.
• Gets the client deeply involved in the planning process early and opens communication between both parties.