Pronounced like (balsamic), this handy little application has quickly proven to be a mainstay for all of my design projects. Balsamiq is essentially a “sketch” tool for creating wireframes and screen mockups. It is on the Adobe AIR platform, and is relatively lightweight to install (compared to Fireworks, which I still use for hi-res mockups).
Available for Windows and Mac, Balsamiq is by far the easiest tool I’ve found for making quick screenshots. It can be useful from brainstorming stages to final product documentation. The concept is quite simple; there is a large set of UI controls that you have at your disposal. You simply drag these text boxes, drop downs, and labels onto the art board to create a mockup of your interface.
On the surface there is nothing revolutionary about this application, however in Balsamiq things just seem easier. Perhaps the application’s greatest asset is its set of controls. All the radio-buttons, menus, and combo-boxes you would expect are there. In addition are some useful “modern web” controls like webcams, tag clouds, street-maps, and modal windows. There are also some fun (although perhaps less useful) controls, like the “cover flow” object, which literally renders the infamous Apple interface.
For those of you designing iPhone applications, a recent release included lots of iPhone controls. A nice template image of the phone is included, along with the iPhone keyboard, picker, menu, and on/off switch. Below are a couple of example iPhone mockups.
As you will notice the Balsamiq controls have a “hand-sketched” feel. This took me a little while to get used to, but I soon realized why it was a good design decision. The complete set of controls gives very detailed output for layout and functional design, but the hand-sketched look all but removes the impact of visual design. We all know that good visual design can improve usability, but it is a mistake to rely on it to do so. I personally feel that a layout which “works” before any graphic treatment can only improve with strong typography, color, and visual aesthetic.
Aside from its functionality and ease of use, Balsamiq comes at an affordable price. The $79 desktop version is an easy sell at the corporate level. For freelancers, I know a “free” option sounds more attractive, but I have yet to find one that is comparable. If you frequently produce wireframes, or distribute them to clients, Balsamiq is well worth the small investment.
Last but not least Balsamiq comes with an incredibly dedicated team. Formally a team of one, ‘Peldi’ and Marco single-handedly respond to Balsamiq’s growing community. Primarily using Get Satisfaction, they are very quick to address bugs, and extremely eager to implement enhancements. In the short 9 months that I have used the application the control set has nearly doubled. The ability to embedded images and format text “in-line”, have also been added since my purchase. On the service front, I can recall an instance where one of my files had become corrupted. Within a day of reporting the issue the co-founder ‘Peldi’ had located and corrected the issue in the code base.
In summary my advice would be to simply try it. They offer a demo version you can download and install for free. The demo will not let you save or export your work, but other than that it is fully functional. Hopefully you will find Balsamiq as I have; a useful tool that removes both the time and hassle of bringing your interface ideas to life.
I have included some additional screenshots below.
