Before getting started, the web designer defines the basic concept of the website and plans the layout of the elements on the page. A detailed page plan is a prototype, and the planning process is called prototyping (Canziba, 2018). The main purpose of prototyping is to design a user-friendly page while meeting the client’s needs. Thus, this process is beneficial both for designers and customers.
Many mistakes when creating a website design and its functionality are associated with incorrect interaction between the web designer and the customer. It is not always clear what blocks the client wants to see on the website. This leads to mutual displeasure and a failed project, but prototyping can help to avoid this problem (Ankerson, 2018). Clear structuring of a website, correct arrangement of elements, and the approximate layout of the page aid in identifying shortcomings, and assist the designer and client to quickly concur.
Another advantage of prototyping is the ability to design a site from a usability point of view. At this stage, the basic elements for interaction with the client are introduced to increase conversion and the degree of user confidence (Ankerson, 2018). When visiting the website for the first time, the client wants to see the usual block structure, a particular layout that helps to build the best user experience. With the strength of a good prototype, the designer can enable the user to navigate the future website.
When directly creating the page design, the developer acts according to a plan, and there is no need to think about how to correctly arrange the blocks and calculate the distance to individual elements. Prototyping also facilitates interaction with the customer and other performers (Canziba, 2018). Moreover, it is not only designing individual pages of a website from a usability point of view but also drawing up a sales strategy. The correct placement of CTA and navigation elements, banners with promotions, and product cards for purchase affects the conversion of an online store.
The ease of the use of elements on the page, the level of conversion of the website, and the perception of the page as a whole depend on the quality of the created prototype. Through prototyping, the designer can save time and simplify work. A well-developed structure and arrangement of blocks will help not to make big changes to the finished layout in the future since the main part of the project will be coordinated.
References
Ankerson, M. S. (2018). Dot-com design: The rise of a usable, social, commercial web (Vol. 15). NYU Press.
Canziba, E. (2018). Hands-On UX design for developers: Design, prototype, and implement compelling user experiences from scratch. Packt Publishing Ltd.