The next step in the process is to create prototypes that will simulate the real application. A prototype can contain one or more features (or all of them), but it actually does nothing. It merely simulates the behavior of a real application, and users will feel that they are actually doing something. Prototypes may contain some functionality if needed (such as complex calculations).

Because the nature of a prototype done in HTML is temporary—its purpose, after all, is to test ideas—don’t bother with the code; just make it work with minimal bugs. You will throw it away anyway. You can also use specialized prototyping software such as Axure. Some people even prototype in PowerPoint.


An Axure interactive prototype for an e-commerce website, by e-maujean.

Further reading and tools for prototyping:

■5 Useful Online Tools for Web Design Planning and Prototyping
■A Practitioner’s Guide to Prototyping: A book from Rosenfeld Media
■16 Design Tools for Prototyping and Wireframing