"Architecture" prototyping tools at a glance

Several UI prototyping tools

When starting a project, some of the unfinished conceptual sketches (Sketch) are transformed into a detailed, executable wireframe (Wireframe), which can be used to create wireframes to help designers design efficiently and accurately. Whether it is to do gui,web ui,game ui,mobile UI and so on, in the pre-development and design process, many ideas need to use a prototype to assist the thinking, while thinking of drawing to comb the logic, verification process. So easy to learn and easy to use prototyping tools, to a large extent improve the accuracy of the design, to help visual designers and programmers, better understanding of design ideas, improve the overall quality of products.

Balsamiq Mockups

I usually use Balsamiq in the conceptual stage, feeling like a painting, drag and drop controls to add to the canvas. Easy to adjust and rearrange controls with ease of operation. 75 preset controls to choose from, from a Super simple dialog box to the application to the site building elements, very simple and convenient to help us complete the wireframes.

Axure

Create Wireframe, flowchart, interactive prototyping I'll use axure. Ready-made parts include buttons, form fields, shapes, and dynamic elements. You can create your own custom widget libraries. Axure-is a quick and easy way to perform UI workflow and UI interaction design. A Web page file and spec file for presentation can be automatically generated to provide presentation and development.

Mockflow

is an online tool that makes prototypes for traditional software and Internet application software, and is friendly and powerful. It comes with a large number of built-in components and icons. Similar to Axure's product prototyping tools, the only difference is that it is a product based entirely on Web browsing windows. Mockflow includes many widget controls that are often used, such as buttons, pictures, text panels (text panel), drop-down menus (droplist), progress Bars (Processbar), and more. Can effectively help users to quickly design interactive prototypes.

Mockingbird

is a product prototyping tool based on the Cappuccino open source framework that simulates desktop software to give designers a faster start and practice. With the Mockflow products I introduced before, it provides users with a completely browser-based product prototype design services, because Mockingbird adopted the cappuccino open source framework, can be more realistic simulation Axure such desktop software, to the user a great intimacy. Built-in common Web controls, including text, Link, Button, Image, List, Box, and so on, can be added to the canvas by mouse drag, support Chinese.

Caco

is an online drawing tool that allows you to create site prototypes, UML Unified modeling, and frame diagrams online. Based on flash technology, user experience is friendly and powerful, it can help you to draw a variety of digital charts including Sitemap, product prototype, UML Unified modeling, Flowchart, Brain graph (Mindmap) and wireframe (wire frames). You can make and publish these digital charts as simple as updating the logs in a browser, while the CACOO also supports real-time synchronous collaboration, allowing multiple users to simultaneously edit the same electronic chart online remotely.

Pencil Project

is a firefox-installed extension component that allows you to quickly draw and export PNG prototypes.
If you don't have too many interaction requirements, just quickly draw and export some prototype interfaces, it's a good choice.
Extension Component installation Address: https://addons.mozilla.org/zh-CN/firefox/addon/8487

HotGloo

is an easy and aesthetically pleasing network wireframe application that helps designers create a conceptual prototype of a site interaction at an early stage of development, all of which are WYSIWYG and support personal level two domain names. However, it is a pity that HotGloo does not support the input of Simplified Chinese.

Protoshare

is a wireframe production tool, but also a Web site development collaborative work platform. Without the need to install any software, Protoshare is built on the SaaS (Service software) environment, which means that by relying on the network, team members can work together in every corner of the world to keep their work progressing. This real-time collaborative function is very attractive and supports IE, Firefox, Safari. Both PC and Mac computers can use Protoshare.

Iplotz

is an iphone-specific component library with very powerful project/time management capabilities. Contains the iphone specialized components library, which supports HTML preview and export.

OmniGraffle

This OmniGraffle prototyping tool allows you to draw charts, tree diagrams, flowcharts, page orchestration, and more. You can use OmniGraffle to plan the plot direction of a movie or play script, draw a company organization chart, and display the steps required to complete a project. You can also set up the gadgets you need to design your ipad software, including drop-down, reminders, software keyboards, and more.

Resources:

What is the difference between a prototype made by a product manager and a prototype made by an interactive designer: https://www.zhihu.com/question/19890069
Prototype Design toolset: http://www.oschina.net/project/tag/291/ui-design/
Several UI prototyping tools: http://www.360doc.com/content/13/0823/10/6828497_309287580.shtml

"Architecture" prototyping tools at a glance