A short review of low-fi & high-fi mock-ups
Reasons why we need both
Having used both low-fi and high-fi mock-ups intensively for the past couple of years, I wanted to share a quick review on each, their advantages and drawbacks.
Low-fi mock-ups
Low-fi mock-ups are a designer’s expression of intent. They’re inexpensive and they’re expeditious. They’re purposely inelegant yet they’re descriptive. Within minutes, user-journeys can be visualised to a wider team opening channels of collaboration and understanding.
Many tools provide designers the ability to create low-fi mock-ups. Axure RP and Balsamiq Mock-up are deliberately designed for the creation of prototypes. Other tools, such as Sketch, Adobe XD and the new Studio Invision can be used although this was not their original intent.
Low-fi mock-ups require an inherent understanding of GUI design. To an untrained eye, low-fi’s offer little affordance or meaning. And here defines where low-fi are best used: internally. Internally, team members have a good understanding of design composition. This understanding assists interpretation and reduces ambiguity. Layout is recognised and a box with a black border means more than, well, a box with a black border.
