Looking at website wireframe examples can be a great way to improve your design skills. By studying these examples, you can learn how to create a clear and functional design for your website.
A good wireframe should have a clear hierarchy of information, as seen in the example of the CNN website wireframe, which prioritizes headlines and images. This helps users quickly understand the content and purpose of the website.
Having a clear navigation system is also essential, as demonstrated by the example of the Amazon website wireframe, which features a prominent search bar and easy-to-use menu options. This makes it simple for users to find what they're looking for.
By incorporating these elements into your own wireframe design, you can create a user-friendly website that effectively communicates your message.
Importance of Wireframing
Wireframing is a crucial step in the design process that can save you time and money. A wireframe helps you visualize the layout and structure of your website, allowing you to make changes before investing too much time in the design.
By iterating wireframes, you can come up with various solutions to solve a specific problem, such as adding a new section to a product shop page. This helps you present different options to the client and get their approval before moving forward.
Wireframing also separates the design process from UX, allowing you to focus on the user journey objectively. This means you can concentrate on where to put what and why later, without worrying about colors and fonts.
Creating great wireframes isn't easy, but it's a great way to show off your UX expertise and involve clients in the design process early on. Wireframes can also help you spot and fix potential design flaws before they become major headaches.
Here are some benefits of wireframing:
- Separates design process from UX
- Allows for objective focus on user journey
- Helps spot and fix potential design flaws
- Shows off UX expertise
- Involves clients in design process early on
- Saves time and money
By using a tool like Justinmind, you can streamline and elevate your wireframing process. This can help you build a robust wireframe from the get-go, identify potential design flaws, and create a sense of depth with parallax scrolling and pinned elements.
Wireframing Process
Wireframing is a crucial step in the website design process. It helps you spot and fix potential design flaws before they become major headaches.
To streamline your wireframing process, consider using a tool like Justinmind, which offers features like web design software, mobile app design software, and VR & AR design capabilities.
Justinmind also allows you to use parallax scrolling and pinned elements to create a sense of depth in your design. This can be especially useful for creating a robust wireframe from the get-go.
Here are some key features of Justinmind:
- Web design software
- Mobile app design software
- VR & AR design
Wireframes encourage iteration and feedback, making it easier to make changes depending on suggestions from stakeholders and team members.
Iteration and Feedback
Wireframing encourages iteration and feedback, making it easier to make changes and improve your designs. This is because wireframes follow a step-by-step process, allowing you to give and receive feedback at each stage.
Wireframes lack detailed design elements, making it quicker to make changes depending on suggestions from stakeholders and team members. This helps you avoid wasting time designing the wrong solution.
Iterating wireframes is an effective way to solve specific design problems. By changing the layout, hierarchy, and thinking about different solutions, you can present various options to clients and stakeholders to get buy-in before finalizing the design.
Continually seeking feedback is crucial to improve your designs, even with significant data and a clear objective. Communicating with stakeholders will help you get different perspectives and create a design that serves your diverse user base well.
Sharing your wireframe examples with other professionals can provide helpful advice and insights from people who have worked on a wide range of projects. This can be especially useful when working on personal projects or trying to improve your portfolio.
Use a Framework
Using a grid or template as a framework is a great way to organize content placeholders and balance your available space. This approach encourages you to focus on structure and functionality first.
A wireframe template can help you rapidly come up with a clean content hierarchy that's easy to adjust or scale in later iterations. By using a template, you can avoid the frustration of trying to figure out the layout from scratch.
Justinmind, a popular wireframing tool, offers various integrations and features that can streamline your wireframing process. With Justinmind, you can import designs from Sketch or start from Adobe, and use a wireframe tool, mockup tool, or UI kits to create your design.
Here are some key features to look for in a wireframing tool:
- Wireframe tool
- Mockup tool
- UI kits
By using a grid or template, you can create a solid foundation for your design and make it easier to collaborate with team members. This approach also helps you prioritize the most important components of your design and make them easily accessible to users.
Types of Wireframes
There are several types of wireframes, each serving a unique purpose.
Low-fidelity wireframes are simple sketches that help identify the website's layout and content.
High-fidelity wireframes, on the other hand, are detailed and realistic representations of the website's design.
A good example of a low-fidelity wireframe is the simple sketch of a website's layout, like the one shown in the "Simple Website Layout" example.
How Design Improves
A good wireframe is all about planning and execution. It helps you map out the elements of each page and make changes as you see necessary.
Starting with a low-fidelity wireframe is a great approach, as it allows you to add details gradually. This approach is recommended because it gives you a clear foundation to build upon.
A well-designed wireframe should divide the screen space effectively, making it easy for the user's eye to process the content. This is evident in a low-fidelity layout design that uses a zig-zag approach.
Using real written content in your wireframe is a good idea, even if it's just a rough draft. This helps you visualize the finished experience and identify any potential issues.
A good wireframe should be easy to understand, even without images. This is because it's a blueprint for the final design, and it should give you a clear idea of what the finished product will look like.
Low-Fidelity
Low-fidelity wireframes are a great starting point for any design project. They show the general localization of elements on the screen.
Using a low-fidelity wireframe allows you to spot and fix potential design flaws before they become major headaches. This is especially helpful in the early development stages of a project.
A low-fidelity wireframe can be developed into more high-fidelity wireframes, which provide more details such as what the final elements will look like. The choice between low-fidelity and high-fidelity wireframes depends on what your project needs at the time.
Some designers even prefer to start with a low-fidelity wireframe and add details gradually. This approach helps to keep the design process organized and manageable.
Here are some key characteristics of low-fidelity wireframes:
- General localization of elements on the screen
- Can be developed into more high-fidelity wireframes
- Depends on project needs for level of detail
Starting with a low-fidelity wireframe can help you easily map out the elements of each page and make changes as you see necessary. This approach can also help you work effectively with your team and explain concepts to your clients.
Wireframe Creation
To create a wireframe, start by using a tool like Justinmind, which can help streamline and elevate your wireframing process.
A robust wireframe from the get-go is key to spotting and fixing potential design flaws before they become major headaches. Use parallax scrolling to give your design a sense of depth by using different speeds for the background and foreground.
Use pinned elements to create fixed components of the design that stay at a certain spot as the user scrolls. You can also import from Sketch or start from Adobe to create your wireframe.
Here are some key features to look for in a wireframe tool:
- Wireframe tool
- Mockup tool
- UI kits
By using a low-fidelity wireframe and adding details gradually, you can create a functional website and make changes as you see necessary.
How to Create a Simple
Creating a simple wireframe can be a great way to start your design process. You should always create a wireframe in the early development stages because it will help you reveal errors in judgment or design, giving you time to correct them.
To create a simple wireframe, start with a low-fidelity wireframe. These show the general localization of elements on the screen and can be developed into more high-fidelity wireframes later. Low-fidelity wireframes are great for revealing the overall structure of your design.
Use a wireframing tool to create your low-fidelity wireframe. You can use digital tools like Sketch to create a high-fidelity wireframe that illustrates in more detail without creating too many graphical elements. This results in a more aesthetic look without time-consuming design work.
A low-fidelity wireframe should clearly display each content block. Valeria Pivovarova's low-fidelity design is a great example of how to do this. She keeps her design crisp, clear, and simple to ensure the site is as responsive as possible.
Here are some tips for creating a simple wireframe:
- Start with a low-fidelity wireframe
- Use a wireframing tool to create your wireframe
- Keep your design crisp, clear, and simple
- Use real written content to give a sense of what the finished experience will be like
Determine Your Size
Use pixel measurements to get the most accurate measurements for your wireframe, as it will vary depending on the screen size you're creating it for.
You'll need to consider different screen types, such as mobile devices, tablets, and desktop screens.
Mobile devices will have varying sizes, and you can scale the window on a desktop screen.
Here are the standard sizes for each screen type: mobile devices, tablets, and desktop screens will have different sizes.
Wireframe Examples
Wireframe examples are a great way to solidify your design process. You can find many examples online to help inspire your own wireframing.
Website wireframes have a longer page compared to mobile app wireframes. This design allows you to see how you'd naturally scroll through the website on your desktop or mobile browser.
Using wireframe kits can give you a head-start on the design process. These kits share common core elements, making it easier to design and find templates for website wireframes.
Most websites serve as information hubs for a product or service, making their functionality similar.
E-commerce Wireframes
E-commerce wireframes are designed to manage data-heavy elements of an online store. They are essential for creating an intuitive and easy checkout process.
A well-planned information architecture is key to a successful e-commerce wireframe, as seen in Albert Girfanov's remarkable e-commerce wireframe. It's available for purchase on their website.
Product categories, search bars, and promotional spaces are strategically placed in e-commerce websites to create a clear shopping experience. This is evident in Vince Welter's e-commerce site wireframe sketch on Flickr.
Hand-drawn annotations in wireframes highlight functionality and user interactions, making it easier to understand how design principles create an engaging online shopping environment. This is particularly beneficial for designers aiming to optimize the e-commerce journey from browsing to checkout.
Rafal Cyrnek's e-commerce website wireframe is a great example of content structuring, allowing for plenty of striking visuals and sales pitches. The use of white space makes the entire wireframe easy on the eyes.
Anami Chan's case study of the Sundayz app showcases her detailed design process, from initial sketches to the final product. Her methodical approach underscores the importance of each developmental stage in crafting an intuitive and visually appealing app.
A good e-commerce wireframe should balance striking visuals with sales pitches, as seen in Rafal Cyrnek's wireframe. This balance creates a visually appealing and effective online shopping experience.
Industry-Specific Wireframes
A hotel booking app wireframe plan can be both easy to use and visually appealing, as shown in an example that highlights the tool's smooth user experience from start to finish.
Good planning is key to a great finished product, and this example demonstrates how detailed pictures can help illustrate the user's experience from the beginning.
Determine Conversion Points
Conversion points are crucial in guiding the user through each step of the wireframe. Just because you've outlined the steps the user should take doesn't mean they're intuitive.
To determine conversion points, you'll need to decide exactly how the user should move through each step. This involves identifying the buttons, hyperlinks, images, or other elements on the page that will guide the reader to the next step.
In wireframing, conversion points are determined after sketching wireframes. It's a stage where you'll decide what elements on the page will guide the user to the next step.
Banking (Dashboard)
In a banking dashboard, it's essential to present complex data in a logical and well-organized layout to the user.
A good dashboard should allow the user to see all the crucial information at a glance, as seen in Seçil Kalem's wireframe design. This high-fidelity wireframe example is a great pointer on how to get a lot of information on the same screen in a coherent way.
Using real written content, we can get a real feel of the finished product, making it easier to understand the user's experience.
A streamlined navigation menu with categories is also crucial, as shown in Naga Shiva's wireframe example. This makes it easy for the user to find what they are looking for.
By organizing information into clear sections, users can quickly access the information they need, making the experience more efficient.
Health Services
Health Services wireframes are all about making the most of limited space. A great example is the Health Services app wireframe, which uses a grid system to keep the cognitive load light and the visual hierarchy clear.
This wireframe, designed by Yehor Haiduk, is easy to understand at first sight, with elements having a clear relationship to each other. The use of a grid system allows the screen to offer more information without overwhelming the user.
A well-designed Health Services wireframe can make a big difference in user experience. By following a clear and simple layout, users can quickly find the information they need and navigate the app with ease.
In the case of the Health Services app wireframe, the designer's focus on simplicity and clarity has paid off. The wireframe is easy to follow, even for users who may not be familiar with the app's features.
Smart TV Home
A simple design layout is key to creating an efficient user experience on Smart TV home screens. This is evident in the wireframe prototype by Emannuel Rojas, which includes all the main visuals and interactions.
This wireframe is an excellent reference point for anyone looking to move onto a high-fidelity wireframe design for their TV web app. It showcases a clear and efficient design layout that prioritizes user experience.
The wireframe prototype by Emannuel Rojas demonstrates the importance of prioritizing user experience in Smart TV home design.
Hotel
Hotel wireframes are all about making the user's experience smooth and seamless. A mid-fidelity wireframe, like the Hotel brand website wireframe by Sean Taylor, focuses on the content structure and flow of the page, and includes notes for extra detail.
A well-designed hotel website wireframe can make a big difference in how users interact with the site. The classic arrangement of placing navigation links to the left and branding to the right, seen in the Construction Company Wireframes, can be a good starting point for a hotel website.
A hotel booking app wireframe, like the one shown, should highlight the steps the user takes from logging in to finding and booking a place to stay. This can help identify areas where the user experience can be improved and make the process smoother.
Good planning leads to a great finished product, and a hotel booking app wireframe can show how the tool changes from a simple idea to a polished finished product.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a wireframe look like?
A wireframe should be a simple, clickable outline of a digital product, focusing on organization, functionality, and content priority, without visual details like font styles, colors, or graphics. This basic structure helps designers plan and refine the user experience before adding visual elements.
What is wireframing?
Wireframing is a design process that creates visual outlines of interactive products to plan and refine user-centered solutions. It helps teams and stakeholders develop optimal prototypes and products that meet user and business needs.
Sources
- https://www.flux-academy.com/blog/20-wireframe-examples-for-web-design
- https://blog.hubspot.com/website/website-wireframe
- https://nulab.com/learn/design-and-ux/10-must-see-wireframe-examples-inspire-next-design/
- https://www.justinmind.com/wireframe/inspiring-web-and-mobile-wireframe-and-prototype-examples
- https://www.sketch.com/blog/wireframe-examples/
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