--
Wireframing is simply what you do. It is part of the fabric of product design, and this has been the case for time immemorial. But the tide is turning. Our industry is starting to recognise the inherent limitations of wireframes.
In a previous life, I was a huge advocate of wireframes. I helped my team introduce them to all pitches and proposals. We needed this first step at that time, but I soon began to question my assumptions about the purpose of wireframes.
Whilst I believe wireframes can be useful for visualising ideas quickly, they are pushed too much in terms of a deliverable. In this article, I will offer critiques and show what can be done instead.
I have experienced three main downsides to wireframing over recent years, summarised below:
Over the years, I have created wireframes in all shapes and sizes. The reaction from clients is often the same. Indifference. Or worse, disappointment.
It’s tough for anyone without a design background to judge a wireframe for what it is: a rough sketch, or a mockup which focuses on functionality rather than form. Even when a client knows this in the back of their minds, they still tend to react as if it were an iteration of the final design.
I receive questions about button shape, and get told that it’s boring without colour. My conversation shifts to damage limitation. I reaffirm that there’s “more to come, and nothing to worry about”. When I put myself in the client’s shoes, their reaction is totally understandable.
By the time they see the actual visual design, they’re relieved and enthusiastic:
“Why didn’t you show us this version earlier?” they ask.
Every project has ups and downs but we want to reduce disappointment and doubt, regardless of how quickly it can be overcome. From my vast experience of presenting wireframes to clients, I know that this is typically a meeting with high risk of friction.
Is it worth it? That’s a question I will look into later in the article.
Overall, I believe that wireframes can restrict the creativity of a designer; implicitly and/or explicitly. This is a controversial critique, because it depends on who is involved. Hear me out…
The menu is at the top, the call to action is in the middle of the hero image, and the image thumbnails are below. This has been seen by the client, without objection. It may very well be the right approach. Equally, it may not be. We need to entertain both options, surely?
Some designers will copy the wireframe exactly. Indeed, I’ve worked with designers in the past who cannot see beyond it. Again, this is an understandable phenomenon. Even at times when I’ve strongly encouraged free creativity, we’ve come back to a narrow wireframe-esque design.
Is this a bad thing? I’m not sure, but it bothers me.
Many designers prefer that the UX lead makes these decisions, and that’s fine. But I do believe that a client having access to wireframes places pressure on this process.
Wireframes focus on function, and this means they tend to be technical.
They typically leave gaps that should be filled with content. A website or an app is more than just a heap of functionality: it is an experience. Wireframes don’t capture this magic.
Considering the ultimate goal is to create an experience, do wireframes get us started on the wrong foot completely? Is their narrowness detrimental to the outcome by making us think technically, rather than focusing on crafting an emotional experience?
Yes, it could be argued so.
The third critique suggests that we remove wireframing from the process entirely, but I don’t think this is the answer. Wireframes still serve a purpose, especially for complex projects. They allow us to create a prototype in just days, and involve the developers early in a project.
However, if we look at the first two critiques above, we see that pressure comes from client access to wireframes. Tension is created when a client can’t appreciate the roughness of a wireframe, and the “seen and approved by client” aspect thereafter can psychologically restrict a designer’s creativity.
So, in my mind, the first step would be to give clients something else. But what?
In my mind, storytelling is critical for modern design. This is getting more attention recently. Humans love stories; much more than they love greyscale technical sketches.
When we envision the goals of a project, we first write it down in a narrative form. Whenever I create a new concept, I imagine building a story. This story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It has key characters, a mission, and challenges to overcome.
Initially, this is as simple as words on a document. But this narrative is important: it brings the earliest stages of a product to life in the minds of all stakeholders, even before any design is developed. In essence, I create a uniquely descriptive sitemap, shifting from concept and rationale through to the main story outlines. This achieves the same thing as a wireframe, but for content rather than function. It’s easier to consume, and more inspiring.
Clients usually get this idea. This process shows the client that we understand their goals, but it also leaves freedom for design creativity.
Then we create a priority guide, which plans the product content in a storytelling mindset:
This builds key stages into the plan: the content must inspire, inform, and engage. Rather than creating wireframes packed with dummy content, this visualisation complements the narrative. It gives the client useful insight, and it prepares designers to be creative — keeping goals in mind.
Wireframes serve a purpose, but in my opinion that purpose should not be client-facing.
I want the client to be happy, and I want the designers to be happy. Wireframes can place an unnecessary squeeze on both parties.
Often the client feels pressure to give approval or a critique to a wireframe, and this can change the tone of a conversation. As a result, a designer feels tied to a wireframe, whether they like it or not. It’s difficult to break free from this situation.
In my mind, the solution is to tell a story. Inspire the client, and encourage creative freedom.
In the end, processes are up to team members and client demands. My goal is to design world-class products and make our clients happy. Storytelling isn’t something we invented as an agency, but it is certainly an approach I’ve come to love.
But there’s still work to do. I’ll be experimenting for as long as I can!