Comments on: Top 7 Tools for Interaction Design and IA http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/ Philip Haine's articles on Product Vision, Innovation and Design Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:38:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Philip Haine http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-3201 Philip Haine Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:59:42 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-3201 Hi, Troy -- Sorry for the delay in responding. Thanks for the pointer to Catalyst -- I will check it out. I'm definitely in favor of prototyping tools, but there will always be some behavior that the designer cannot prototype. This must be conveyed to developers verbally one way or another. Best regards, Philip Hi, Troy –

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Thanks for the pointer to Catalyst — I will check it out.

I’m definitely in favor of prototyping tools, but there will always be some behavior that the designer cannot prototype. This must be conveyed to developers verbally one way or another.

Best regards,
Philip

]]> By: Troy http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-3181 Troy Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:16:21 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-3181 Hi Phillip, Thanks for your work here. Questions, you mention Google Pages for your tool for documenting designs. Why does this all need to be documented in text? What about using something like Adobe's Flash Catalyst so that designers can convey exactly what they expect to the Web developer? I know this is an older write-up, but Catalyst was in beta at the time I believe. Thanks, Troy Hi Phillip,
Thanks for your work here. Questions, you mention Google Pages for your tool for documenting designs. Why does this all need to be documented in text? What about using something like Adobe’s Flash Catalyst so that designers can convey exactly what they expect to the Web developer?

I know this is an older write-up, but Catalyst was in beta at the time I believe.

Thanks,
Troy

]]> By: Requirements docs: Goodbye word processor, hello wiki | The Product Vision blog http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-2548 Requirements docs: Goodbye word processor, hello wiki | The Product Vision blog Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:58:45 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-2548 [...] couple of years ago, I underwent the most significant change in my toolset in years. I switched from word processors for such documentation to wiki’s.This had a number [...] [...] couple of years ago, I underwent the most significant change in my toolset in years. I switched from word processors for such documentation to wiki’s.This had a number [...]

]]> By: Philip Haine http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-2400 Philip Haine Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:09:16 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-2400 Dave, yes, today's MacBooks could very well be better than yesterday's MacBook Pros. I happen to be using both Firewire ports, 3GB RAM and I plug into a 30" display requiring dual link DVI. I'm not sure the regular MacBooks have those. I had been using Adobe CS2, so the jump to CS4 was huge, because it's now Intel native. (I don't feel like the kid with worn out shoes anymore.) I cannot speak to the delta from CS3, except to say that the consensus reviews out there say it's worthwhile. Dave, yes, today’s MacBooks could very well be better than yesterday’s MacBook Pros. I happen to be using both Firewire ports, 3GB RAM and I plug into a 30″ display requiring dual link DVI. I’m not sure the regular MacBooks have those.

I had been using Adobe CS2, so the jump to CS4 was huge, because it’s now Intel native. (I don’t feel like the kid with worn out shoes anymore.) I cannot speak to the delta from CS3, except to say that the consensus reviews out there say it’s worthwhile.

]]> By: Dave Cortright http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-2398 Dave Cortright Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:37:12 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-2398 I still believe the MacBook is a much better value than the MacBook Pro. Unless you need the extra screen real estate on your laptop monitor, save your money. I personally run a second monitor off of my MacBook for my heavy design work, and the laptop screen is sufficient itself for basic email and web tasks (and even the occasional design tweak here or there.) http://www.rated-best.org/blog/2008/06/best-laptop-apple-macbook.html I used to be a Visio guy on Windows, but I'm an OmniGraffle fan on the Mac. I use it for flow charts, mind maps, and UI designs. I have the pro version and use the Outlining and Mouseless Editing groups under the Edit menu for quickly creating connected boxes. You can then context-click one, select similar, and format them all how you wish. Omni Graffle has a lot of depth. and while there are annoyances, there are fewer than I remember in Visio. Perhaps not technically a tool, but the "Print to PDF" function built into the Mac is critical to sharing my designs with stakeholders. On the PC, I highly recommend PDF Creator for similar functionality. http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/ Could you elaborate on why CS4 is so much better than 2 or 3? I see no compelling reason to spend the hundreds of dollars on an upgrade to software I use rarely, and even then only for the core basics. If you are an interaction designer spending substantial time in Photoshop or Illustrator, you are not spending your time well. IMHO :-) I like Stickies even better than TextEdit for basic note-taking. You don't have to hit save. You can then copy/paste your notes into a more permanent place later, like Evernote. Great post, though, Phil! Thanks for the conversation starter. It's a topic that needed discussion. I still believe the MacBook is a much better value than the MacBook Pro. Unless you need the extra screen real estate on your laptop monitor, save your money. I personally run a second monitor off of my MacBook for my heavy design work, and the laptop screen is sufficient itself for basic email and web tasks (and even the occasional design tweak here or there.)
http://www.rated-best.org/blog/2008/06/best-laptop-apple-macbook.html

I used to be a Visio guy on Windows, but I’m an OmniGraffle fan on the Mac. I use it for flow charts, mind maps, and UI designs. I have the pro version and use the Outlining and Mouseless Editing groups under the Edit menu for quickly creating connected boxes. You can then context-click one, select similar, and format them all how you wish. Omni Graffle has a lot of depth. and while there are annoyances, there are fewer than I remember in Visio.

Perhaps not technically a tool, but the “Print to PDF” function built into the Mac is critical to sharing my designs with stakeholders. On the PC, I highly recommend PDF Creator for similar functionality.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Could you elaborate on why CS4 is so much better than 2 or 3? I see no compelling reason to spend the hundreds of dollars on an upgrade to software I use rarely, and even then only for the core basics. If you are an interaction designer spending substantial time in Photoshop or Illustrator, you are not spending your time well. IMHO :-)

I like Stickies even better than TextEdit for basic note-taking. You don’t have to hit save. You can then copy/paste your notes into a more permanent place later, like Evernote.

Great post, though, Phil! Thanks for the conversation starter. It’s a topic that needed discussion.

]]> By: Philip Haine http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-2383 Philip Haine Sat, 03 Jan 2009 18:59:18 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-2383 Thanks, Peldi! I sent you my notes on an earlier version of Balsamiq Mockups. I will try looking at v1.5 when I can. Philip Thanks, Peldi!

I sent you my notes on an earlier version of Balsamiq Mockups. I will try looking at v1.5 when I can.

Philip

]]> By: Peldi Guilizzoni http://stealthisidea.com/articles/design-tools/comment-page-1/#comment-2381 Peldi Guilizzoni Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:45:54 +0000 http://stealthisidea.com/?p=478#comment-2381 Hello Philip, thanks for the great article, I didn't know about Stone Create and it looks really good. I am interested in hearing why you think Balsamiq Mockups is "immature". I agree that it's not "done", but I am pretty happy with version 1.5 which I released a couple of weeks ago: http://www.balsamiq.com/products/mockups I am always working to improve the tool and feedback from experts like yourself is just what I need: if you have the time, write me at peldi@balsamiq.com, I'd appreciate it. Thanks again for the great article, Peldi Hello Philip, thanks for the great article, I didn’t know about Stone Create and it looks really good.

I am interested in hearing why you think Balsamiq Mockups is “immature”. I agree that it’s not “done”, but I am pretty happy with version 1.5 which I released a couple of weeks ago: http://www.balsamiq.com/products/mockups

I am always working to improve the tool and feedback from experts like yourself is just what I need: if you have the time, write me at peldi@balsamiq.com, I’d appreciate it.

Thanks again for the great article,
Peldi

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