A software product is mostly equipped with a user interface.
Unless it is a DLL or background process, a product has to be packaged with
screens that help the user in getting his work done. So as we sit down to
develop a new software product, a lot of effort goes into programming the look
and feel of the same. This then has to be demonstrated to the internal
management which may suggest some changes on the same.
This cycle can go on until everyone (more importantly the customer) is convinced. Reworking on this can test the patience of the best of UI programmers. So how do we deal with such situations? The answer is prototyping.
Prototyping means creating a dummy product which conveys the look and feel to the prospective customer. Once the customer suggestions are included the prototype can be finalized and signed off. Working on the actual UI should begin only after this sign off.
MS Excel is a great tool for creating quick prototypes. Open a new xls file and make the gridlines invisible. This allows us to have a blank canvas which we can fill with the background color of our choice. Use the VBA form controls we can put in all the controls on this sheet. Buttons, dropdowns, option buttons etc. is provided. The only thing we need to ensure is to keep the buttons static. Which means, no action should occur when for instance a button on this excel is clicked. In the final software product, if there are actions like new forms to be opened upon clicking of a button, then as many excel files or spreadsheets should be created. Name them such that we know exactly which one to display during the demonstration. This is be exactly as per the process flow of the final software product.
This cycle can go on until everyone (more importantly the customer) is convinced. Reworking on this can test the patience of the best of UI programmers. So how do we deal with such situations? The answer is prototyping.
Prototyping means creating a dummy product which conveys the look and feel to the prospective customer. Once the customer suggestions are included the prototype can be finalized and signed off. Working on the actual UI should begin only after this sign off.
MS Excel is a great tool for creating quick prototypes. Open a new xls file and make the gridlines invisible. This allows us to have a blank canvas which we can fill with the background color of our choice. Use the VBA form controls we can put in all the controls on this sheet. Buttons, dropdowns, option buttons etc. is provided. The only thing we need to ensure is to keep the buttons static. Which means, no action should occur when for instance a button on this excel is clicked. In the final software product, if there are actions like new forms to be opened upon clicking of a button, then as many excel files or spreadsheets should be created. Name them such that we know exactly which one to display during the demonstration. This is be exactly as per the process flow of the final software product.
