The lesson here is that quite often, the people in charge of really, really big web projects at billion dollar companies have no idea what to make of wireframes.
I had a wireframe presentation sink fast with a start-up just recently. I even whipped out a fully functional HTML/JavaScript version. Still they couldn't seem to get over aesthetic details, colors, or more; the lack there-of.
I think I would have been better off with a full comp focusing purely on the ornamental/aesthetic details rather than the structural/functional ones.
Interestingly the mockup sat well with the slightly older (35+) management but the founders (under 25) couldn't grok it.
It's sad how often this happens. They seem to lose site that the IA is the why while the visual design is the how. It's our process that they are paying for not the resulting artifacts.
Kevin - Exactly. And I've generally found that high fidelity wireframes don't really make things any clearer either, they often set the wrong expectations. Ultimately clients are really much more interested in the visual design/creative part of the process.
Nevertheless, setting up the conversation properly around wireframes beforehand can make a difference even if it is still an uphill battle.
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6 Responses
Pro
Scott Boms
The lesson here is that quite often, the people in charge of really, really big web projects at billion dollar companies have no idea what to make of wireframes.
over 2 years ago
I had a wireframe presentation sink fast with a start-up just recently. I even whipped out a fully functional HTML/JavaScript version. Still they couldn't seem to get over aesthetic details, colors, or more; the lack there-of.
I think I would have been better off with a full comp focusing purely on the ornamental/aesthetic details rather than the structural/functional ones.
Interestingly the mockup sat well with the slightly older (35+) management but the founders (under 25) couldn't grok it.
Live and learn.
over 2 years ago
It's sad how often this happens. They seem to lose site that the IA is the why while the visual design is the how. It's our process that they are paying for not the resulting artifacts.
over 2 years ago
Pro
Scott Boms
Kevin - Exactly. And I've generally found that high fidelity wireframes don't really make things any clearer either, they often set the wrong expectations. Ultimately clients are really much more interested in the visual design/creative part of the process.
Nevertheless, setting up the conversation properly around wireframes beforehand can make a difference even if it is still an uphill battle.
over 2 years ago
Pro
Grant Hutchinson
Billion dollar companies actually refer to these as ‘shmireframes’.
over 2 years ago
Pro
Scott Boms
You have no idea...
over 2 years ago