In software development, a prototype is a fundamental working model of a product and information system. This system is built, tested, and then reworked as necessary until an acceptable prototype is finally achieved from which the complete system or product can now be developed. Recently from a source I came across some of the useful prototyping tools that were tested as PowerPoint alternatives to flash. Below are some of the app prototype makers that will help you choose the best and most suitable one for your app.
The future is here: there are more and more tools that allow you to create prototypes of mobile applications. Below we will take a look at some of them, what their features are, and whether this tool is right for you.
1. Anxure RP Pro – Anxure comes on the top list. It is an extremely efficient UX tool that allows designers to quickly create highly advanced and interactive prototypes without even learning or having any knowledge of front-end coding.
2. Justinmind Prototyper: This prototype is very similar to anxure. It’s hard to say which is better, and as time goes by, these two tools keep evolving in parallel. These tools have certain advantages over the others. Justinmind has been created with the purpose of being a complete tool for UX designers and allows adding sitemaps and scenarios. Another feature would be to add the data sets including filtering, editing based on data sets.
3. Indigo Studio (Infragistics): This software is an interesting alternative if you are working on a mobile prototype. It carries a frontend solution that makes the interface clean and easy to use, which in particular means the interaction editor, the way widgets are added to the canvas, the events timeline, the maps of user, the tour that shows previews of the schematics with brief explanations.
4. Sketchflow (Expression, blend, Microsoft): This app came about as an anxiety alternative. This prototype is not as flexible and effective as the designer has never been quick to improve the products of it.
5. iRise – This software offers an initiative platform for designers, developers, and stakeholders to communicate throughout the product journey. This goes beyond just prototyping, but it is very expensive and therefore none of the customers have ever used it. You can turn your projects into design documentation using that tool. iRise also includes a code converter.
6. Antetype: Antetype is the first visual design-focused layout and design software, built by UI designers for UI designers. Save a lot of time creating and optimizing.
7. Appcooker: Appcooker streamlines your app creation workflow and is production-ready in no time. It is a prototyping tool on iPad.
8. Pixate: Pixate is great for prototyping animations or complex interactions for mobile apps (IOS and Android).
9. Proto.io: Proto.io is great for prototyping mobile devices that include transitions and multiple states.
10. InVision – InVision is a design prototyping tool where you upload your designs and add hotspots to transform your static displays into interactive prototypes.
Conclusion:
Professional prototyping tools like Axure RP Pro or Justinmind Prototyper take some time to master, but are definitely worth it. I am satisfied that every UX professional should consider mastering a tool like this. Building an interactive prototype is important to avoid large gaps between design concepts and the final product.
The biggest pitfall when creating interactive prototypes is ending up spending too much time implementing advanced features that require workarounds. These mobile app prototyping tools would be an effective tool to quickly reformulate and create self-explanatory design solutions, without being too focused on the tool and not limited by it.
