Successful web design teams depend on clear communication between developers and their clients—and among members of the development team. Wireframes, site maps, flow charts, and other design diagrams establish a common language so designers and project teams can capture ideas, track progress, and keep their stakeholders informed.
In this all new edition of Communicating Design , author and information architect Dan Brown defines and describes each deliverable, then offers practical advice for creating the documents and using them in the context of teamwork and presentations, independent of methodology. Whatever processes, tools, or approaches you use, this book will help you improve the creation and presentation of your wireframes, site maps, flow charts, and other deliverables.
The book now features:
- An improved structure comprising two main sections: Design Diagrams and Design Deliverables. The first focuses on the nuts and bolts of design documentation and the second explains how to pull it all together.
- New deliverable: design briefs, as well as updated advice on wireframes, flow charts, and concept models.
- More illustrations , to help designers understand the subtle variations and approaches to creating design diagrams.
- Reader exercises , for those lonely nights when all you really want to do is practice creating wireframes, or for use in workshops and classes.
- Contributions from industry leaders : Tamara Adlin, Stephen Anderson, Dana Chisnell, Nathan Curtis, Chris Fahey, James Melzer, Steve Mulder, Donna Spencer, and Russ Unger.
“As an educator, I have looked to Communicating Design both as a formal textbook and an informal guide for its design systems that ultimately make our ideas possible and the complex clear.”
—Liz Danzico, from the Foreword
Author(s): Dan M. Brown
Series: Voices That Matter
Edition: 2
Publisher: New Riders Press
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 306
Foreword......Page 6
Preface to the Second Edition......Page 7
Acknowledgments......Page 12
1 Introduction......Page 14
The Whole Story: Deliverables......Page 16
Tools for Creating Diagrams and Deliverables......Page 17
Deliverables and the Design Process......Page 18
Deliverables and the Project Team......Page 20
Describing vs. Doing......Page 22
PART 1: DESIGN DIAGRAMS......Page 24
2 Diagram Basics......Page 25
Anatomy of a Design Diagram......Page 26
Creating Design Artifacts......Page 27
Challenges in Communicating Design......Page 31
Presenting Design......Page 33
Congratulations......Page 44
3 Personas......Page 45
Personas At-A-Glance......Page 46
Introducing Personas......Page 47
Anatomy of a Persona......Page 49
Creating Personas......Page 54
Presenting Personas......Page 62
Using and Applying Personas......Page 70
4 Concept Models......Page 74
Concept Models At-A-Glance......Page 75
Introducing Concept Models......Page 76
Anatomy of a Concept Model......Page 81
Creating Concept Models......Page 87
Presenting Concept Models......Page 93
Applying Concept Models......Page 98
Concepts Matter......Page 101
5 Site Maps......Page 103
Site Maps At-A-Glance......Page 104
Introducing Site Maps......Page 105
Anatomy of a Site Map......Page 108
Creating Site Maps......Page 115
Presenting Site Maps......Page 121
Using and Applying Site Maps......Page 128
The Web's Cartographic Conundrum......Page 131
6 Flowcharts......Page 133
Flowcharts At-A-Glance......Page 134
Introducing Flowcharts......Page 135
Anatomy of a Flowchart......Page 137
Creating Flowcharts......Page 151
Presenting Flowcharts......Page 161
Using and Applying Flowcharts......Page 168
The Depth of Process......Page 172
7 Wireframes......Page 174
Wireframes At-A-Glance......Page 175
Introducing Wireframes......Page 176
Anatomy of a Wireframe......Page 178
Creating Wireframes......Page 187
Presenting Wireframes......Page 195
Applying and Using Wireframes......Page 202
Design in Black and White......Page 208
PART 2: DESIGN DELIVERABLES......Page 210
8 Deliverable Basics......Page 211
What Makes a Good Deliverable......Page 214
Anatomy of a Deliverable......Page 219
Laying Out Pages......Page 229
Presenting Deliverables......Page 232
The Deliverable Lifecycle......Page 233
The Future of Deliverables......Page 237
9 Design Briefs......Page 239
What Makes a Good Design Brief......Page 240
Anatomy of a Design Brief......Page 250
The One-Slide Challenge......Page 258
10 Competitive Reviews......Page 261
What Makes a Good Competitive Review......Page 262
Anatomy of a Competitive Review......Page 265
Acknowledging the Competition......Page 270
11 Usability Plans......Page 271
What Makes a Good Usability Plan?......Page 272
Anatomy of a Plan......Page 274
The Best-laid Plans......Page 279
12 Usability Reports......Page 281
What Makes a Good Usability Report......Page 282
Anatomy of a Usability Report......Page 286
Getting Inside Their Heads......Page 293
Recommended Bookshelf Additions......Page 296
About the Author......Page 297
Contributor Bios......Page 298
Colophon......Page 299
C......Page 300
D......Page 301
H......Page 302
P......Page 303
R......Page 304
U......Page 305
Z......Page 306