Prototyping tools for mobile applications
13 Apr 2006 - 5:18am
12 replies
2344 reads
Soo Basu
2005
Hi
We currently use Visio to make flow diagrams and code them up in wml, but
it's quite a time consuming process. Does anyone know of any rapid
prototyping tool for mobile apps? Something like Dreamweaver for mobile?
Best,
Soo
============================
"Less isn't more, just enough is more!"
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In theory, one could use XUL and JS to prototype a UI based on Minimo,
the mobile version of a Mozilla based web browser. You can find out
more about Minimo at:
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/minimo/
cheers,
mike
On 4/13/06, Sunandini Basu <sunandinibasu at gmail.com> wrote:
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted material.]
>
> Hi
> We currently use Visio to make flow diagrams and code them up in wml, but
> it's quite a time consuming process. Does anyone know of any rapid
> prototyping tool for mobile apps? Something like Dreamweaver for mobile?
> Best,
> Soo
>
>
>
>
> ============================
> "Less isn't more, just enough is more!"
> ________________________________________________________________
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--
[ mike beltzner / user experience lead / mozilla corporation ]
>> Does anyone know of any rapid prototyping tool for mobile apps? Something like Dreamweaver for mobile?
Hi Soo,
The Nokia WML Studio, an extension for Dreamweaver, may help you and is available in the Adobe/Macromedia Exchange.(reg. required) http://tinyurl.com/2rcns
Hope this helps,
Markus
Markus Grupp
Product Manager, Handset User Experience Design
Telus Mobility
200 Consilium Place, Suite 1600
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M1H 3J3
markus.grupp at telusmobility.com
www.telusmobility.com
If all not interested in retaining prototype code in the final product, I
recommend Flash 8 Pro. It has a great emulator you can use to see your app
in context of an actual device with working buttons.
-r-
On 4/13/06, Sunandini Basu <sunandinibasu at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> material.]
>
> Hi
> We currently use Visio to make flow diagrams and code them up in wml, but
> it's quite a time consuming process. Does anyone know of any rapid
> prototyping tool for mobile apps? Something like Dreamweaver for mobile?
> Best,
> Soo
>
>
>
>
> ============================
> "Less isn't more, just enough is more!"
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>
I've had great success with Flash Lite, prototyping on a Nokia 6600. Testing on a small
screen with real buttons and real bandwidth limitations in a mobile environment has been
invaluable.
http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashlite/
http://www.macromedia.com/mobile/supported_devices/handsets.html
Although it's great for prototyping, I don't think you'd want to launch a real application in
Flash Lite. That being said, a lot of people have done it anyway:
http://www.macromedia.com/mobile/gallery/
// jeff
Robert Hoekman, Jr. wrote:
> If all not interested in retaining prototype code in the final product, I recommend
> Flash 8 Pro. It has a great emulator you can use to see your app in context of an actual
> device with working buttons.
Hi Sunandini, are you looking for a prototyping tool for mobile
applications or WAP sites? Your analogy to Dreamweaver threw me off since
it's a web dev. tool and not a development tool for compiled binaries, but
wml is not the same thing as a "mobile app."
In general though, there isn't much in the way of prototyping tools for
either. Different browsers on different devices across different carriers
and they all can have slightly different requirements and variations.
Visio is probably your best bet for mapping the flow, and then creating
your wml pages to whatever set of specific requirements your working to
(carrier/device).
-al
> [Please voluntarily trim replies to include only relevant quoted
> material.]
>
> Hi
> We currently use Visio to make flow diagrams and code them up in wml, but
> it's quite a time consuming process. Does anyone know of any rapid
> prototyping tool for mobile apps? Something like Dreamweaver for mobile?
> Best,
> Soo
>
>
>
>
> ============================
> "Less isn't more, just enough is more!"
> ________________________________________________________________
> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
> To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
> List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
> List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
> (Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
> Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
> Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
> Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
> Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>
>> are you looking for a prototyping tool for mobile applications or WAP sites?
Hi Soo,
>> are you looking for a prototyping tool for mobile applications or WAP sites?
If you are to prototype mobile applications (either native handset apps, or third-party/ Java apps) and not WAP sites, then there are some robust rapid prototyping tools for specifically for mobile devices:
- Cybellius Maestro: http://www.cybelius.com/products/default.htm
- Digital Airways Kaleido: http://www.digitalairways.com/daw/kdoverview.jsp
These tools utilize drag and drop to allow you to get something on to a handset quickly:
- suites of standard applications, events and functions (i.e. new message, missed calls, etc.)
- libraries of mobile UI components and behaviours
Flash Lite does allow you to simulate these as well; however, you need to manually create a library of mobile UI components; and a library of functions and events using Actionscript.
One caveat: Kaleido and Maestro strictly fit into the current UI/interaction paradigm for mobile devices and applications (i.e. idle/home screen, main menu, standard applications, softkeys, softkey menus). If you are looking at prototyping new interaction methods, layouts and behaviours, these may
be easier to prototype in Flash Lite.
(The price of a seat licence for each of these apps may be restrictive, depending on the budget you have to work with)
Good luck,
Markus
Are you familiar with Casey Reas and Ben Fry's Processing? It's a language meant to be quick and easy for designers to learn. Mobile Processing by Francis Li is an open source platform built on Processing, specifically for the rapid development of mobile prototypes. It's fairly new, so there aren't a huge number of examples, but enough to give a taste.
http://mobile.processing.org/
Hi
Thanks a lot for all the suggestions!
I was really looking for a tool for WAP sites - but I'm also trying out
Flash Lite.
Cheers,
Soo
You should have look at Justinmind: http://www.justinmind.com.
A powerful tool to create completely functional (even dynamic) mobile app prototypes without coding and share them online & carry out usability tests (integrates UserZoom, ClickTale, Google Analytics...)
You should checkout http://MawkMobile.com . It's a mobile app prototyping tool for designers. It lets you upload screen shots of your app designs and create clickable "hotspots" that make your buttons and such interactive. The cool part is it allows you to view/test your app designs on your mobile device using the free MawkMobile app viewer. It's in beta right now but looks promising : )
I found Flowella pretty good for my needs.
http://www.developer.nokia.com/Resources/Tools_and_downloads/Other/Flowella/
I found Flowella pretty good for my needs.
http://www.developer.nokia.com/Resources/Tools_and_downloads/Other/Flowella/