Design & Collaboration

Collaborative brainstorming

For brainstorming and collaboration work (virtual and/or in person)

Diagramming and mapping

Creating diagrams and maps (workflows, journey maps, entity diagrams, etc.)

Participatory design

An approach to design that invites all stakeholders (e.g. customers, employees, partners, citizens, consumers) into the design process as a means of better understanding, meeting, and sometimes preempting their needs.

Source: Olga Elizarova & Kimberly Dowd, “Participatory Design in Practice”

Wireframing

Process where designers draw overviews of interactive products to establish the structure and flow of possible design solutions. A good way to think of it is that a wireframe is a blueprint and a mockup is a visual model.

Source: Lucid Content Team, “Wireframes vs mockups: Determining the right level of fidelity for your project”

Mockups

Static wireframe that includes more stylistic and visual UI details to present a realistic model of what the final page or application will look like. A good way to think of it is that a wireframe is a blueprint and a mockup is a visual model.

Source: Lucid Content Team, “Wireframes vs mockups: Determining the right level of fidelity for your project”

Prototyping

A simulation or sample version of a final product, which UX teams use for testing before launch.

Source: UXPin, “What Is a Prototype: A Guide to Functional UX”