UX tools range from rudimentary (pen and paper) to highly sophisticated (web applications and tech tools). Here is a brief roundup of popular options.
Balsamiq (www.balsamiq.com) bills itself as a ‘rapid wire-framing tool’ and is great for creating fun, low-fidelity wireframes and simple prototypes. It works both as a web app and a desktop download, and has built-in features for collaborating with other team members.
Axure(www.axure.com) is an all-purpose prototyping tool that allows you to create fully interactive wire-framed websites without needing to code anything. A useful feature is that it also generates technical specifications for developers to work from, based on the interactions and links you create in the prototyping process.
Gliffy (www.gliffy.com) is a web-based tool that allows you to create a wide range of diagrams – everything from wireframes to sitemaps to charts. It offers a free version, with a paid Pro Account that offers more advanced features. While its strength lies in wire-framing, it also creates sitemaps, which means you could have several features in one place.
Morae(www.techsmith.com/morae.html) is a good place to start if you’re looking for a web-based replacement for user labs. This innovative paid-for tool allows you to research users interacting directly with your, or a competitor’s, website. The tool records video and audio of the user, and also captures their behaviour on the screen, so you can remotely watch exactly what they are doing and how they are reacting in person. The tool also allows you to prompt and interact with the user in real-time chat, track where they look on the screen, and more.
