Mobile app wireframing: A step-by-step guide
When it comes to transforming your mobile app vision into something more tangible, there’s no better way than sitting down with a pen or paper, gathering your team around a whiteboard, or mapping your app idea out with online wireframing software.
As we discussed in our beginner’s guide to wireframing, the beauty of app wireframing is that absolutely anyone can get involved and have a crack at it. If you are drawing your wireframes by hand, all you need to do is pick up a pen and get to work. That’s not to say there is no skill involved though. Sure, there is a low barrier to entry, but there’s more to perfecting your design than just scribbling a few boxes down on a piece of paper.
Looking to streamline the mobile app wireframing process like never before? Maybe you’re new to the world of wireframing and want some tips on how to turn your mobile app idea into a digital design? We cover everything in our step-by-step guide.
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What is a mobile app wireframe?
What does a mobile app wireframe actually include?
6 steps for designing the best mobile app wireframe
Free mobile app wireframing tools
What is a mobile app wireframe?
A mobile app wireframe is a sketch or digital visualization of a mobile app design that outlines how an application will function in terms of user flows, click journeys, and CTA placement. Mobile app wireframes are typically low-fidelity and so don’t include visual and stylistic elements or any branding, and also don’t include any copy aside from page titles and subheadings to demonstrate core page intent (you can find out more about wireframe fidelity in our dedicated guide).
What does a mobile app wireframe actually include?
Whether you are using a fancy new UI wireframing tool to map out your wireframe, or you are really dialing things back to basics with a good old fashioned, hand-drawn wireframe, what you need to include in your project will largely remain the same.
We cover this in more detail in our step-by-step guide below, but really, all your mobile wireframe designs need to include are the core elements and interactions to convey the overall purpose of your app idea i.e., what each screen will need in terms of interactive elements, and how screens are linked together to demonstrate user journeys.
6 steps for designing the best mobile app wireframe
Ready to get to work? If you have a mobile app idea in mind that you are itching to bring to life, here are six steps for creating the perfect mobile app wireframe…
- Identify what user journeys you want to cover
- Decide what screens/pages you need in your wireframe
- Map out you screens in an intuitive order
- Populate each screen with appropriate elements
- Link pages through CTAs and navigational elements
- Share your design and test your assumptions
1. Identify what user journeys you want to cover
Depending on the size of your app idea, there might be several user journeys you want to map out in your initial wireframe to really give an idea of what you are trying to achieve and why. Before you even begin to actually design or draw any screens or elements, try writing out your user flows in list format or as a flow chart so you can get a clear picture of what pages and elements you are going to need before you've even begun the design process.
2. Decide what screens/pages you need in your wireframe
Once you have your list of user flows, you can then start thinking about what screens you need to include in your early-stage wireframe design. For example, you might be designing a food delivery app that takes the user from order to basket. This particular user journey will have a limited number of conversional screens however, these will likely be supplemented by more foundational screens such as a homepage or a search screen.
3. Map out you screens in an intuitive order
The next step is to sketch out your screens in an intuitive order. This might again depend on what user flow you are trying to demonstrate, with most being fairly linear. If you are demonstrating a user journey that is cyclical or many user journeys that flow in different directions, then you might want to center your homepage screen with the various user journeys mapped out around it.
4. Populate each screen with appropriate elements
Once you know which pages you need and what order you want them in, you can start populating them with various elements to demonstrate the purpose they fulfil within the scope of the wider design. There will be a number of elements that will remain consistent throughout each screen (such as navigational elements so your users don't get lost), but many pages will have their own unique elements.
5. Link pages through CTAs and navigational elements
CTAs and page interactions will really make your wireframe go from basic illustration to useful demonstration of how your product will actually function. If you are hand-drawing your wireframes, you can illustrate page interactions through a series of lines, sort of like a spider diagram.
If you are using an app wireframing tool such as Uizard to design your app however, you can actually link elements to other screens within your design and explore how the user flow would work using a dynamic preview. This will effortlessly transform your static wireframe design into a functional wireflow.
6. Share your design and test your assumptions
Once you have populated all your screens with appropriate elements and added in your page interactions, you can then share your idea with various stakeholders for first-round feedback. With Uizard, you can even add people directly to your wireframe app project, meaning they are only one click away from seeing your brand-new design!
Having shared with your team, you can then look at adapting some user journeys or adding in additional screens based on feedback. You likely won't have hit all the necessary touch points first time round, and collaboration can be a great way to develop ideas and improve the solutions your app idea provides.
What comes next?
What comes after wireframing your mobile app design? Once you have tested your assumptions, the next step is to advance your wireframe design onto the prototype stage. Essentially, the goal here is to populate your wireframe with actual assets and text to really give a flavor of what the finished app will look like. You can also add in any of the remaining user flows that you skipped over earlier in the process here. With Uizard, you can even transform your wireframe into a mockup with the click of a button!
Free mobile app wireframing tools
And there we have it, our ultimate step-by-step guide to creating a great mobile app wireframe design for your own app idea. Looking to put the steps into practice? Uizard is here to help - and the best part is it’s completely free you use!
With Uizard, you can start your wireframe design from scratch in our streamlined and easy-to-use interface. You can fast-track the process by using our pre-made mobile wireframe template (simply tweak it to suit your project) or you can even convert your hand-drawn wireframes to digital designs with our AI-powered Design Assistant!
Uizard is an AI-powered design tool for non-designers, helping users to map out their designs and advance them to functional prototype designs. Sign up to Uizard for free today and bring your idea to life in magical high fidelity.