thumb|A wireframe document for a person profile view
A website wireframe, also known as a page schematic or screen blueprint, is a visual guide that represents the skeletal framework of a website.
The term wireframe is taken from other fields that use a skeletal framework to represent 3-dimensional shape and volume. The wireframe usually lacks typographic style, color, or graphics, since the main focus lies in functionality, behavior, and priority of content.
Wireframes are also utilized for the prototyping of mobile sites, computer applications, or other screen-based products that involve human-computer interaction.
Uses of wireframes
Wireframes may be utilized by different disciplines. Developers use wireframes to get a more tangible grasp of the site's functionality, while designers use them to push the user interface (UI) process. User experience designers and information architects use wireframes to show navigation paths between pages. Business analysts use wireframes to visually support the business rules and interaction requirements for a screen.
Business stakeholders review wireframes to ensure that requirements and objectives are met through the design.
Working with wireframes may be a collaborative effort since it bridges the information architecture to the visual design. Due to overlaps in these professional roles, conflicts may occur, making wireframing a controversial part of the design process.
Due to the generally lower-fidelity nature of wireframe, it is very easy and cost-efficient to make changes. The point of a wireframe is to capture the design of the fundamental structure, high-level interaction pattern within an interface, otherwise known as the critical points, They are valued for their ability to focus stakeholder discussions on structure and functionality rather than visual aesthetics, reducing premature design debates. Low-fidelity wireframes are typically created using simple tools like pen and paper, whiteboards, or basic digital applications, allowing for rapid iteration with minimal resource investment.
High-fidelity
High-fidelity wireframes are often used for documenting because they incorporate a level of detail that more closely matches the design of the actual webpage, thus taking longer to create.