How to create the best website or app design models?
The answer is: with the best prototyping tools.
When it comes to prototyping, many designers choose InVision and Axure RP (Azure Rapid Prototyping). You may have heard about them before. In fact, as we described previously in this post about the importance of prototyping, both apps made it to the top ten prototyping tools of 2019 (although Axure is far behind InVision).
Should you try them as your new go-to prototyping tools, though? Are they the best for beginner designers? Are they good for speeding up web design projects?
This post is here to help you answer these questions. Keep reading for a quick, fluff-free overview of Axure RP and InVision as prototyping tools.
Axure RP vs. InVision for Prototyping: a Quick Introduction
Many web designers consider Axure RP to be the best prototyping tool.
Should you listen?
Axure has been in business for over 15 years, and it definitely has everything you need to create great prototypes. But some users, especially those without the knowledge of code, often found it a bit difficult to master.
The creators of Axure have done their job of listening and acting upon feedback. The latest version of the tool, Axure RP 9, has been getting great responses so far.
As for InVision, it’s more widely used than Axure RP - in fact, it was the second most popular prototyping tool of 2019 - and for a good reason.
Web designers love it because it is: super intuitive, easy to use, and creates designs that are as good as having working ones.
Just like Axure RP, InVision is great for sharing designs with customers and getting feedback from them. Both are used by web design teams all over the world to create websites and apps.
Axure RP vs. InVision for Prototyping: What You Must Know
Here, you’ll see the reasons why use each for your prototyping projects.
Let’s start with InVision.
Why Use InVision for Prototyping?
InVision has gotten to the second place in prototyping tools for a bunch of good reasons.
- Superb Design Control
InVision gives all controls a design could possibly need to experience using the digital product. When you upload your app or website designs to the app, it shows them in a way that a real user would experience them.
That’s a win for every stakeholder in web design projects. Especially clients, who get to check out their future product as if it was done.
- Interactive Prototype
If you want to impress the client with the prototype presentation, InVision has got your back. No boring, static prototypes but interactive ones that feel like a real thing.
Creating interactive stereotypes is also super easy: just static screenshots or images and create clickable versions. The process is fast and also can help to improve the collaboration between designers and clients.
- Complete Mobile Prototype Experience
With InVision, it’s possible to test prototypes of mobile apps on mobile devices. It’s not going to be a boring experience, either - the tester can actually use gestures and transitions.
This one’s a must for designers of mobile apps! No one wants to deal with re-designs resulting from a lack of testing on mobile devices.
- The Complete Design Version History
Just like a text editor, InVision keeps a record of all design versions. This means you can go back and see what you’ve done.
- Collaborate on Designs in Real-Time
Working as a part of a remote design team? Need to discuss the design with a client from another country?
No worries, use InVision’s FreeHand - a document alongside prototypes where everyone can exchange ideas and explore them in real time.
Here’s what you can do:
- Co-draw to share new ideas
- Follow other users’ movements (each has their own mouse pointer)
- Scale, undo, redo
- Delegate control over the prototype and presentation to others
- Add images and design elements.
Ultimately, FreeHand makes design presentations, client meetings, and product Q&As much efficient and productive.
- Hover States
And, of course, hover states - the feature that makes interactive elements change once a mouse pauses over them. They make a prototype “alive” and interactive, which can do wonders for presenting a prototype and testing designs.
Are There Any Cons to InVision?
The most commonly shared problem is the lack of an intuitive interface, which often has beginner web designers struggling.
Why Use Axure RP for Prototyping?
Now, let’s take a look at Axure RP. What does it have to offer?
- Fast Prototyping
The name Axure Rapid Prototyping is there for a good reason.
Even though the tool doesn’t generate production-ready code, it might actually help with getting designs ready faster. Here’s why.
Many people prefer building prototypes with code, which supposedly streamlines the development process. But this works only if every stakeholder agrees that both the product and the code are good. A team can spend days and sometimes weeks on talks and product Q&As, which eventually moves the project deadline.
On the other hand, you can do realistic-looking designs much faster. No need to get the code ready and go through numerous checks and tests. If everyone agrees that the design is good, this brings you directly to coding and testing.
In many cases, this can prove to be a much faster way to develop digital products.
- Collaboration and Co-Authoring
Similar to InVision, Axure RP also provides an environment where a team of designers can work together at the same time. Everyone has full visibility of who is doing what, which helps to speed up work and design more intentionally.
There’s built-in version control, so the team will never lose track of anything.
- Great for UX Designers
Axure RP doesn’t produce production-ready code. All prototyping and wireframing can be done by UX designers, which means that complex UI interfaces might be built faster.
If an experienced UX designer works on prototypes in Axure, they can create something that looks like a real product. So, if you need to achieve a high-fidelity prototype as soon as possible, this tool is a great one to use.
Axure RP Cons?
Not Perfect for Beginners
Axure RP is a prototyping tool that some designers without the knowledge of code choose to avoid. If you don’t have a lot of experience with coding, you’re less likely to understand certain features of this tool work.
This makes Axure RP not a perfect option for teams with junior designers.
Conclusion
Choosing a prototyping tool might sound easy enough, but it really takes some research to find out the best one for your project. Both Axure RP and InVision are good options for prototyping, but their features make them right for different projects.
So what projects are InVision and Axure RP are best for? The answer is simple: both can be used for any web design, even for complex enterprise products.
Axure RP is great for prototyping but has been in the business for over a decade now. So, it has functions that require advanced knowledge, which is not friendly for beginner designers. InVision is more popular because it’s easier, faster, and offers amazing functionality.