I was playing around with Balsamiq, and found that I actually really like this program. From here-on-out, I'll probably never use it again, realistically speaking. It was interesting to use and to get a feel for a different program, but I will probably continue to use Adobe Illustrator for my UX mock-ups. The only bias I have toward Illustrator is that I can make it work in the same way as Balsamiq, plus a dozen more; and on top of that, it's the program that I have more experience with and available to me more readily.
For this mock-up, I set out with intent of designing an email platform that would potentially offer the user an intuitive layout, while staying compact and proficient. I used the layout ideas form other email providers as inspiration for features that I may want included, and to get ideas for what I would want in my ideal web email provider. I designed this layout with responsiveness in mid, creating a wireframe for desktop, tablet and mobile.
Whenever I get a call-back form a potential employer, one of the questions they as is "How much experience do you have with UX Design?" and to me, this question makes no sense. It's akin to asking, "How long have you been practicing common sense?" As a graphic and web designer with hands-on experience working in the field, I quickly learned that organization structure is key. This is the heart of UX Design and before any shiny buttons are added to a project or titles are given to your work, it's important to make sure that the structure, layout and wireframing of your design "feel good." After that point, the second most influential factor is feedback. Beyond your own idea and scope of design, the greatest benefit to many of my past projects has been, simply, showing my work to the guy or gal on my left (but never on my right), and asking "Hey, what do you think." Adding any other person's opinion or perspective will astronomically change your view of your own work and the possible direction it will head-in during further development.
For this mock-up, I set out with intent of designing an email platform that would potentially offer the user an intuitive layout, while staying compact and proficient. I used the layout ideas form other email providers as inspiration for features that I may want included, and to get ideas for what I would want in my ideal web email provider. I designed this layout with responsiveness in mid, creating a wireframe for desktop, tablet and mobile.
Whenever I get a call-back form a potential employer, one of the questions they as is "How much experience do you have with UX Design?" and to me, this question makes no sense. It's akin to asking, "How long have you been practicing common sense?" As a graphic and web designer with hands-on experience working in the field, I quickly learned that organization structure is key. This is the heart of UX Design and before any shiny buttons are added to a project or titles are given to your work, it's important to make sure that the structure, layout and wireframing of your design "feel good." After that point, the second most influential factor is feedback. Beyond your own idea and scope of design, the greatest benefit to many of my past projects has been, simply, showing my work to the guy or gal on my left (but never on my right), and asking "Hey, what do you think." Adding any other person's opinion or perspective will astronomically change your view of your own work and the possible direction it will head-in during further development.
