Prototypes

The number one feature request I get for my iPhone mockup tool is to allow linking different screens into interactive prototypes. I'm not sure when — or even if — I'll find the time to continue working on the iPhone mockup tool, but at least I now have an answer for these requests: use Prototypes.

Prototypes is a totally awesome new project by Duncan Wilcox and Keith Lang.¹ Basically, it's a tool that lets you create interactive prototypes based on your static mockups, wireframes, or even sketches.

You create a new prototype, add the pictures of your screens, create "hotspots" by clicking and dragging on a screen, and then link the hotspots to other screens. You can even set transition animations.

You can then run the prototype on your Mac, and klick through it.

All of this is already incredibly useful.

But the real killer feature is that you can upload your prototype to an online service, and then run it on an iPhone as a web app. Yes, this tool allows you to easily create interactive prototypes that run on actual iPhones.

So what can you use this for? Well, for me, the most obvious use would be to do prototype usability testing.² Or you could use it to explain an interaction to a programmer. Or you could use it to test the "flow" of your app. Or make sure the colors look right on an actual iPhone, and that the touchable areas are big enough for people's fingers.

Honestly, I'm totally freaking out about how incredibly cool and useful this is. This makes me actually wish that I still worked on iPhone apps. Which I don't. But I want a copy of Prototypes in my Applications folder anyway. And so should you.