ProtoShare
ProtoShare is a collaborative software tool from Site9, Inc. used for simulating websites. It enables individuals and companies to build website wireframes and dynamic, navigable website prototypes that team members can then review and comment on in real-time. It is available online as a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) tool.
ProtoShare allows prototyping of websites by enabling developers to create a true website experience with a drag-and-drop WYSIWYG interface. Team members and clients can then collaborate on its evolution by simultaneously sharing comments and IDeaS. Once the process of prototyping and collaboration is finished, the website development team will have a concise roadmap to follow, aiding in the website programming stages. ProtoShare is browser-based making it compatible with multiple operating systems. Internet Explorer 6 & 7, Firefox 3.0, and Safari on both Windows and Mac OS are supported in the Review section of the tool, which is where collaborators interact with and comment on prototypes. The build and edit functionality of ProtoShare, where developers create the prototypes, is only supported by Firefox 3.0 and Safari 3.0 and 4.0 on Windows and Mac OS.
Website prototyping is a best practice of user experience design as introduced by Jesse James Garrett. By determining and Laying out feature requirements in the early stages of website development, teams have been able to reduce scope creep, gain client feedback, and implement design changes prior to the website programming stage when changes are typically more complicated and costly.
See also
- Software Development Process
- User Interface Design
- Prototyping
- Collaborative software