http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?GuiPrototypingTools

Gui Prototyping Tools

Here is an alphabetical list of tools helping with drawing screen mock-ups.
10screens

• create and share clickable rich prototypes online, commercial - $$
• Allows multi-level drill-down of workflows to screens.
• Templates for various mobile devices with soft keyboard support
• http://www.10screens.com/

Adobe FireWorks CS4

• Newly enhanced to provide web site screen design with "master" shared parts across screens. Artwork can also be designed and exported using this tool.
• http://www.adobe.com/products/fireworks/?xNav=WPFW

Adobe Flash Catalyst (former Thermo)

• production-ready version available in April 2010, as part of Adobe CS5
• specialized tool, for interaction design
• create prototypes based on designers work (e.g. photoshop, illustrator files)
• http://www.adobe.com/products/flashcatalyst/

Antetype

• widget library
• wireframes, visual design, prototypes
• iOS Viewer
• Mac OS X only
• http://www.antetype.com

App Sketcher

• specialized tool, commercial
• creates interactive web prototypes using HTML and jQuery components without coding
• makes your ideas real and tangible for clients in minutes
• http://www.appsketcher.com

AutoIt

• Makes claims to be a GUI RAD tool. It's primarily a GUI "movement" script system to automate repetitive GUI tasks, but also has GUI building abilities.
• http://www.autoitscript.com/
• Not data-driven OutOfTheBox?, but its good file handling capabilities make it programmable.
  • Here is one way to make it data-driven: Write an interpreter in AutoIt. The interpreter interprets a text file of custom commands. The text file can be output from a database, and/or manually edited.

Axure

• specialized tool, commercial - expensive $$$
• full-featured, mature desktop application
• create wireframes, prototypes, and specifications for applications and web sites
• http://www.axure.com/Default.aspx

Balsamiq Mockups

• specialized tool, commercial - $$
• creates high level mockups in a "hand drawn" style
• Cross platform and integrative (for Confluence, JIRA, XWiki)
• http://www.balsamiq.com/products/mockups/desktop

Blueprint

• specialized tool, commercial - $$
• works on iPad
• iPhone(or iPad) UI design application
• simple drag&drop interface
• AppStore? link:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blueprint/id405203705?mt=8
• Homepage:http://www.groosoft.com/2010/12/blueprint-video-tutorial.html

Creately

• specialized tool, free w/ watermark & other limitations or monthly usage fee - $/$$
• creates diagrams, wireframes, web and desktop UI mockups
• has collaboration features and contextual toolbars
• Online Adobe Flash-based application
• http://creately.com/

DesignerVista

• GUI Mockups for Desktop, Web and Mobile - All in one product suite, Commercial, $$
• Desktop- Windows, .NET Forms, Java Swing, Java SWT, Office Ribbon Style GUI Mockups
• Web - Websites, Silverlight, Sharepoint and YUI web applications GUI Mockups
• Mobile - iPhone, Windows Phone 7, Android GUI Mockups
• Sketch - Desktop and Web (Low-Fidelity Sketch)
• Wireframing, UI Spec, Annotations, Favorites, Library Support
• Hundreds of controls, icons, cursors, images and ready to use Templates.
• http://www.designervista.com

Denim

• free, sketching with a light pen
• http://dub.washington.edu/denim/

EasyPrototype?

• specialized tool, commercial
• works with scanned images of sketches
• http://www.easyprototype.com

FlairBuilder?

• specialized tool, commercial
• creates interactive wireframes for websites and desktop software
• cross-platform, runs on Adobe AIR
• http://www.flairbuilder.com/

FluidIA

• open source & openly designed
• agile UI prototyping
• web based
• alpha stage
• http://www.fluidIA.org

FluidUI - Mobile Mockups

• Specialized tool, commercial
• Custom built for mobile prototyping and wireframing
• Includes touch gestures and animated page transitions
• Create mockups for iPhone and Android apps and mobile websites
• Comprehensive Android and iPhone UI libraries
• Simple drag and drop operation, visual linking system
• QR mockups directly to phone for testing, presenting
• Standalone cross platform HTML5 web interface
• Free accounts, monthly subscription, no contract
• http://www.fluidui.com
• http://www.fluidui.com/signup

ForeUI

• specialized tool, commercial
• easily create working prototype for web site or application.
• support various UI themes: hand drawing, wireframe, Windows XP, Mac OS X and Windows 7
• run DHTML based interactive simulation in web browser.
• customized element and library supported.
• export prototype to images, PDF or DHTML file
• cross platform (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris)
• http://www.ForeUI.com

GUI Design Studio, by Carreta Software

• specialized tool
• expensive $$$
• visual styles for Windows Vista, XP, NT or low-fidelity outlines + office ribbon bar style interfaces
• connect screens or pages to create interactive prototypes
• generate HTML, PDF or RTF specification documentation
• export designs as images to file or clipboard or share projects with a free viewer
• http://www.carettasoftware.com

GUI Machine, by Alee Software

• specialized tool
• high-fidelity prototypes of desktop and web applications
• create fully interactive prototypes without coding
• export prototype into ready to lunch application, export screenshots, open projects in free Demo version
• cross-platform: Windows, Linux, Mac OS
• http://gui-machine.com

Handcraft

• Create interactive HTML prototypes.
• Web-based service with free trial; plans start at $19/month
• Intended for designers who can write HTML, CSS and javascript. No drag/drop wireframes!
• Use it after wireframes/Photoshop but before development
• Extends HTML with tags built specifically for prototyping, including layouts, pages, parts, conditionals, loops, variables and functions
• Includes popular javascript libraries & icon sets out of the box
• Includes sharing, backups, versioning, export
• http://handcraft.com

Hot Gloo - The Online Wireframe Application

• Web-based Operation
• Intuitive Usability
• Improved Communication
• Smooth Collaboration
• Beta 'n' Free
• http://www.hotgloo.com

Himalia Guilder:

• specialized tool
• modeling and prototyping
• platform independent
• not priced yet
• http://www.himalia.net

Inkscape- General Vector Graphics Tool

• Free and Open Source
• Runs well on Windows and of course Linux. Mac OS X not so well.
• Easy to export PNGs using the "Selection" option. Just draw a box around your wireframe and export easily to PNGs. It even saves your file names.
• Use "Clone tool" alt-d to create copies of an original. Save the clone in a special part of your document to easily make global changes.
• I suggest keeping all wireframes in one document to take advantage of the above options!
• http://www.inkscape.org/

Insitui - Wireframe prototype software for web companies and their clients:

• specialized tool
• create wireframes, and prototypes for web sites send your client a working link
• native browser look and feel
• drag and drop elements
• online tool
• pay per use - $
• http://www.insitui.com

InVision - UX Prototyping Made Beautiful!

• Create interactive wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes
• Use the tools you know already - like Photoshop, Fireworks, etc for realistic prototypes that get attention
• Share your prototypes with clients and team members instantly
• Get feedback and comments right on-screen
• online tool
• pay per use - starts at $8
• http://www.InVisionApp.com.com

Keynotopia

• Create wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes for mobile, web, and desktop applications
• Make your prototypes clickable and interactive without writing a single line of code
• Use tools you know to prototype like a pro - Apple Keynote, Microsoft PowerPoint, or/and Open Office
• Annotate and share prototypes with your team instead of long spec documents
• Export and test your prototypes on phones and tablets without doing extra work
• Turn wireframes into pixel-perfect (ready for development) prototypes with just a few clicks
• Thousands of vectors and icons are royalty-free (use your prototypes for commercial applications)
• Downloadable templates that can be used on PC, Mac, Linux
• Pay per user- one time fee for unlimited use
• http://keynotopia.com/

JavaFx?

• Based on JavaSwing, but with allegedly simpler syntax.
• Meant to partially compete with Flash and related Adobe tools
• http://javafx.com

jBart

• Specialized in interactive UI. E.g. interactive visual search boxes, interactive filters, Master-Detail, Calculators, etc.
• Completely web based. You can save your prototype and send a link.
• Rich - From visual development to hard coding html, css and javascript.
• http://www.artwaresoft.com

JotForm?

• Web-based
• Only rough positioning control, but sufficient for quick proto-types
• http://www.jotform.com/

Justinmind Prototyper

• specialized tool, expensive $$$
• Create high-fidelity application prototypes
• Generate fully functional HTML prototypes and customized MSWord specifications
• http://www.justinmind.com

JustProto?

• web-based (JavaScript)
• create fully interactive HTML prototypes
• real-time collaboration
• components can be used multiple times
• allows you to create iphone, ipad and android apps
• ssl protection
• good prices
• http://www.justproto.com

LucidChart?

• rapid prototyping with true interactive experiences
• creates diagrams, wireframes, web and desktop UI mockups
• real time collaboration features
• Web-standards based
• http://lucidchart.com/

Lucid Spec

• specialized tool,
• still in beta, expensive $$$
• http://www.elegancetech.com

Lumzy

• collaborative
• runs in browser (flash)
• decent selection of controls
• skin as sketchy, win, or mac
• FREE
• http://www.lumzy.com

MockupTiger

• Web based HTML5
• Use it on Desktop or host it on your server
• Dashboard and Web widgets (create bar, line, pie, gauges charts)
• http://www.mockuptiger.com

Microsoft Expression Blend

• prototyping of high-resolution UIs, design of completed UIs
• specialized tool, for interaction design
• includes Microsoft SketchFlow tool, for low-resolution UI prototyping
• http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Blend_Overview.aspx

Microsoft SketchFlow

• rapid prototyping of low-resolution UIs
• specialized tool, for interaction design
• part of Microsoft Expression Blend tool, for high-resolution UI prototyping, and for design of completed UIs
• http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Sketchflow_Overview.aspx

Mockflow

• specialized tool, commercial (Basic Account Free)
• create mockups
• cross-platform, runs on Adobe AIR
• http://www.mockflow.com

Mockingbird

• web-based
• Beta
• http://gomockingbird.com/

MockupScreens

• specialized tool, fast, commercial since 2005
• create mockups and organize them in scenarios (usecases/stories/whatever)
• present scenario in a slideshow and document the feedback
• annotate mockup screenshots
• change skins: XP, Win7, Mac OsX, Web, Black-and-white (to avoid looking finished), etc
• print "specification" from mockups and annotations
• no learning
• you don't have to be a programmer
• http://mockupscreens.com

Napkin Look & Feel

• opensource skin for Java Swing
• http://napkinlaf.sourceforge.net/
• Unusual in intent: produces GUIs (pure mock-up, functional, or mixed) that look like a note scrawled on a napkin, to try to force management to intuit that a GUI mock-up does notmean that the product is finished! Primary developer: KenArnold

Petra, by Cleverlance

• specialized tool
• expensive $$$
• http://www.cleverlance.cz/en/Products/Petra

Pencil

• Free plugin to Firefox 3 and standalone application
• Create mockups and export to PNG images
• http://www.evolus.vn/Pencil/Home.html

Pidoco - A GUI Design Software for clickable Wireframes

• Fast and easy like Rapid Paper Prototyping, but completely web-based and with many more features!
• Clickable Wireframes
• Fast and easy Prototyping
• Easy Remote Usability Testing
• No Software Installation
• Interface Prototyping
• Realtime Collaboration
• Prototype Reviewer
• Remote Usability Tests
• https://pidoco.com/en

PowerMockup?

• Wireframe Toolkit for PowerPoint
• http://www.powermockup.com/

ProtoShare Web-based wireframe software. Users create, review, and refine website and web application prototypes that team members and stakeholders can then review and comment on in real-time. ProtoShare is not a Flash tool; it uses HTML, CSS, and Javascript.

• Specialized tool, commercial
• Create dynamic website wireframes & prototypes with drag-and-drop interface
• Web-based collaboration
• Add custom components with HTML, CSS, and Javascript
• Export to a Word specification or web-page for user testing
• http://www.ProtoShare.com

Prototyper Free

• create and share clickable prototypes for free
• Amazing iPhone, Android and web widgets
• Images in motion with clickable regions
• http://www.justinmind.com/prototyper/free-edition

ScreenArchitect

• specialized tool, commercial
• plugin for EnterpriseArchitect
• exports clickable HTML screens
• http://screenarchitect.com/

Serena Prototype Composer

• free
• very similar to Axure
• prototype more than screen mockups
• http://www.serena.com/products/prototype-composer/index.html

Simulify - convey your idea

• browser based tool, commercial
• visualize Applications easily
• create interactive websites & application wireframes
• share with clients online & gather feedbacks
• http://www.Simulify.com

Sketch Lab

• Browser based tool, commercial
• Export to PDF, PNG, and JPEG
• Simple and easy to use
• Make sketches public on the web
• http://www.sketchlabhq.com

softandGUI - UXToolbox

• Specialized tool, commercial - $
• Easy to use, drag-and-drop interface
• Create simplistic sketchy or pixel-perfect high-res mockups
• Create Interactive prototypes
• Interaction Cues and Fingertip emulation
• Supports Annotation and documentation generation
• Printing
• Export to PNG, XML, Word and HTML
• Multiple Screen Resolutions and Devices supported
• http://www.softandgui.co.uk

Storyboard Suite

• GUI design tool (Storyboard Designer) and runtime engine (Storyboard Engine)
• WYSIWYG UI Design environment based on Eclipse with complete simulation
• Import Photoshop PSD files directly to jumpstart UI development
• Optimized for embedded, resource constrained, environments
• Plugin based for feature extension, Lua (www.lua.org) scripting
• Support for QNX/Linux/WinCE/... using fbdev/directfb/SDL/OpenVG/OpenGL/agtdk/...
• http://www.cranksoftware.com/storyboard

Smart Draw

• Generic drawing tool with template for GUI, something like Visio
• http://www.smartdraw.com/examples/gui/

Visio stencils

• Garrett Dimon's IA Stencil(dead link): http://www.yourtotalsite.com/archives/information_architecture/free_visio_ia_stencil/
• Henrik Olsen's prototyping tools (GUUUI.COM): http://www.guuui.com/issues/02_03_02.php
• Michael Angeles's wireframe stencil: http://urlgreyhot.com/personal/resources/visio_wireframe_stencil/
• Nick Fink wireframe stencil: http://www.nickfinck.com/stencils.html
• Peter Van Dijck's IABook stencil(dead link): http://www.iabook.com/template.htm
• VisDynamica? rich interactions stencil: http://www.visdynamica.com/stencil/
• Jonathan Abbett GUI wireframe stencil: http://www.abbett.org/resources/SketchGUIShapes.zip

WireframeSketcher?

• specialized tool, commercial
• Create wireframes, mockups, prototypes for desktop, mobile and web apps
• Switch between clean and hand-drawn, sketchy themes.
• Cross-platform, native UI, standalone and plug-in for any Eclipse IDE
• http://wireframesketcher.com

InPreso? Screens

• specialized tool, commercial
• Create mockups for web and standalone applications, many skins (mac os, windows xp, windows vista, sketch, sample) change in single click, use standard gui elements (button, checkbox ...) and many other shapes (arrow, rect ...).
• Standalone cross platform and web interface
• http://www.inpreso.com/inpresoscreens/

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