Jerry Cao is a UX content strategist at UXPin — the wireframing and prototyping app — where he develops in-app and online content. To learn the methods, tools, and processes of UX prototyping, download the The Guide to Prototyping.
When an element uses asymmetrical space, it stands out against other surrounding elements. It will appear more vibrant, which is particularly helpful if you’re designing areas of a page where one link/button demands more attention than others.
Today we’re going to take a closer look at asymmetry expressed through contrast, spacing, and layout. We’re thinking about observable contrast, and how space drives attention.
When talking about design we need to consider text from a designer’s perspective. Text must be legible and readable while fitting nicely with the website’s style. But it also must relate to a hierarchy of content.
Building hierarchies is the “big picture” of a website’s composition. But as you move into typography, you also must create hierarchies related to specific text on the page. In this piece, we’ll explain creating relationships with your headers and how to use white space to make lengthy paragraphs visually digestible.
Nothing brings you closer to the functionality of the final product than prototyping. While wireframes sketch out the blueprint and mockups show the feel and texture of the design, it is the prototype that brings to life the “experience” behind “user experience.” That beautiful call-to-action may look great on the screen, but you won’t know if it works on end users until the clickable prototype. Not only do prototypes help provide proof of concept, they more importantly expose any usability flaws behind the wireframes and mockups.
So how do we actually put into the practice this safeguard against emergency stakeholder meetings, endless revisions, and painful late nights in the development phase? While we previously touched upon proper prototyping in the Guide to UX Design Process & Documentation, let’s dive deeper into how prototyping can make or break a product’s success. In this piece, we’ll begin by looking at the most compelling reasons to prototype and how prototypes improve collaboration, design, and usability testing.