How to Present Wireframes to Clients
Wireframes are hard for clients to conceptualize. It is at times sketchy with no feel and dimension, doesn’t have color and it’s hard to convey the functionality on the paper.
When presenting them, I have been met with blank stares and puzzled looks, so I had to adapt the presentation to get better buy-in for the concepts I was trying to convey.
Why are Wireframes so Hard to Visualize?
As designers, it is our job to visualize and conceptualize solutions into the future. We think differently than most, we can extrapolate what something might look like. However, for laymen, it’s hard to see what is beyond the wires.
Wireframes are like a blueprint for your project, and since you work closely with them, you can see the final product. However, your clients may not see that beautiful vision that you have laid out. Wireframes lack the look and feel of a mockup and it is hard to show the functionality without a prototype. So your client may know that this blueprint is the architecture but they can’t evoke what the final product will look and feel like.
How to Help the Client See the Vision
After my own personal experiences and failures with getting very little understanding of my wireframes, I’ve changed how I approach my delivery.
I start my presentation by showing examples of inspiration and examples that have similar features. I then dive into explaining the wires. Now the client can see the potential for what their site or app will look like. I highlight the reasoning and ideas for navigation on the wires and will refer to my example as a reference. I pull up examples of certain functionality so that when showing the wires they know how a menu or image might behave in real life.
This has been a successful tactic and allows the client to move beyond the wire and ahead with the project. I am no longer met with blank stares but instead with tinkles of excitement.
Helpful Resources
Here are some resources to help you find the right example and inspiration to show your clients.
- Codepen
- Muzli on Medium or add the Chrome extension
- AWWWARDS
- The Webby Awards
- Product Hunt
Use them to help you sell your next wireframes. I hope it will help your clients see the full vision.
