There are a number of good prototyping tools on the market, but only a handful can legitimately qualify as being among the best. Five of the very best are listed here, along with brief descriptions of some of their key features. To use any of these tools to their best advantage, it is important to adhere to the best prototyping practices, including early introduction of automation features, testing early and often, and the importance of collaborating. You can find out more about each of these tools by visiting their websites.

Three best practices you don’t want to ignore

Testing your prototypes early and often is all-important, and if you are a member of a design team, the importance of collaboration should not be underestimated. If the final product is to feature animation, it is always best to introduce it early during prototyping so its effectiveness can be measured and validated.

Animations—Animations should not be added only as an afterthought. They often play a critical role with respect to quality of user experience. It may not always be feasible to add animation features to a low-fidelity prototype, but they should be addressed as early as possible if their effectiveness is to be fully realized and tested.

Collaborate – Projects based on bright ideas and assigned to experienced teams can fail in the absence of clear communication and team collaboration. Make it a point to select a prototyping tool that supports collaborative activity, and make it a point to use that tool to your fullest advantage. Don’t work in a vacuum.

Test the Prototype – Low-fidelity prototype testing is important too. This is where you detect design problems, that if not addressed, can cause major rework issues later on. Don’t allow design errors to creep into the code.

Five top tier tools that will get the job done

Whether a standalone prototyping tool, an online tool, or a PowerPoint plugin would work best for you, you will find a tool here that will get the job done. These tools make excellent choices for individual designers as well as for design teams.

Proto.io

When time is of the essence, and you need to turn out a richly featured, high-fidelity mockup quickly, there is no better design tool than Proto.io to get the job done. This design prototyping tool not only produces highly realistic, interactive prototypes without the need for a single line of code, but due to its collaborative supporting features, it can bridge the gaps that all too often exist between the designer and a project’s other stakeholders.

When you can produce a prototype that is indistinguishable from the real thing, do so in a matter of minutes, and show it to a client, he or she is bound to be impressed. More than a few great design companies use Proto.io to develop realistic, highly interactive prototypes that can be tested before resources are committed to a full-scale development project. On a smaller scale, you can take an idea and run with it, and find out if it will make sense to continue on with your work. Just follow best practices and see for yourself where this tool will take you.

Pidoco

Pidoco is powerful. With its 400+ interactive design elements and icons, touch gesture capabilities, functionality that fully supports collaboration, and the ability to produce exquisitely interactive prototypes without any need for coding whatsoever, it’s no wonder that designers in more than 50 countries have made this their tool of choice.

Pidoco really shines when it is put to use in projects whose design team members are scattered all over the globe. It is the ideal solution for any project that is dependent on a strong collaborative environment for success. Designers can collaborate on designs, edit existing mockups, collect feedback and share information amongst themselves and other stakeholders, and do it all in real-time. Even with changes occurring left and right, a smart template system and versioning help keep everything under control and accounted for. Pidoco is a good investment.

InVision

InVision features one of the better designer collaboration platforms you’ll find anywhere—those who’ve made it a part of their design workflow will tell you it’s at the top of their list of essential tools. And one of InVision’s most powerful features is LiveShare, a presentation tools that allows team members and project stakeholders to exchange design- and product-related information and feedback in real time, even if they’re not in the same room. According to InVision, an even more advanced collaboration tool is in the works.

This prototyping, design collaboration, and workflow platform provides an ideal communications solution for dispersed teams so everyone can stay on the same page. It is also an ideal tool for creating, managing, reviewing, and testing prototypes. You can easily tie feedback, comments, and other information to a specific point on a mockup, making it easy to reference later on.

HotGloo

HotGloo is a UX prototyping tool to create and test wireframes for the web, mobile devices, or wearables. Like other top-rated prototyping tools it fully supports simultaneous prototyping in real-time among project participants. Protoype in responsive mode and test your prototypes on any device. Sign up for a free trial today, and see how HotGloo helps you creating a pixel-perfect blueprint of your next project.

PowerMockup

PowerMockup was designed for PowerPoint users by PowerPoint developers. This Microsoft PowerPoint plugin should be just the prototyping tool you are looking for if you are familiar with PowerPoint or are a regular user. PowerMockup features a large (800+) library of design elements and icons, all of which are based on PowerPoint shapes. You can simply drag and drop them onto PowerPoint slides to share your wireframe designs with others. Your own design elements can be neatly tucked away in the library as well. The combination of PowerPoint and its prototyping plugin have much to offer. Sign up for a free trial, and see for yourself!

Prototyping made easier than ever

When you select one of the best prototyping tools on the market, and follow best practices, the end result will more often than not be a superior product that managers or clients can use to make a decision on whether to pursue a project or an idea further. Clients also appreciate how rapidly you can produce an interactive prototype that shows how their expectations can be realized. For large teams, the collaborative features these tools can greatly reduce design time, encourage teamwork, and increase productivity. Visit the websites for more information, and take advantage of the free demos and trial offers.

Source: David Walsh