- AtlasMoth Newsletter
- Posts
- Wireframing Still Alive?!
Wireframing Still Alive?!
Perplexity Future
In partnership with
Trusted by Industry Insiders
What do CEOs and West Wing staffers have in common? They all read Puck, the platform for smart and engaging journalism—a trusted source for executives, insiders, and anyone who wants to stay in the know.
Puck brings readers behind closed door conversations across Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, fashion, media, sports, and the art world. You can start reading Leigh Ann Caldwell to Matthew Belloni and the rest of Puck’s authors for free when you sign up for a 14-day trial.
Hey, I’m Kushagra. How’s it going?
Do we still need wireframes, or are they just relics of the past?
Let’s explain why they were a thing and whether they still matter today.
Wireframing doesn’t double the amount of work for little perceived benefit, and this caption indeed isn’t being sarcastic.
Wireframes? Bruh, do we still need 'em?
So, when UX was still a baby, folks swore by wireframes. "Gotta do 'em!" they said. "Can't be a real designer if you don’t!" But now? Not so sure.
I used to backwireframe hard. But now? Nah. They take too much time for what you get.
People hype 'em up, but no one stops to ask: "Do we even need this?" Let’s break it down.
Why Wireframes Were a Thing
Back then, tools sucked. Like, real bad. We had Photoshop, Visio, and—yikes—MS Paint. Changing one nav bar?
Bro, the whole night is gone. So, we made wireframes to plan stuff out fast. Rough shapes, fake text, no stress.
Why People Say Wireframes Still Matter
Folks claim wireframes help with:
Page flow and info order
Words and labels
Click paths and steps
Quick tests with users
Keeping suits from nitpicking the design
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
But then, some weird takes crept in.
Like, "Devs can’t read full UI, only wireframes!" or "Users get lost in real designs but not in gray boxes!"
Uh… what? Users hate wireframes more than real UI.
Why Wireframes Waste Time
Now? We got Figma. We got design systems. The tools do we use to wireframe? Same ones we use to make the real deal.
Picking a brand font vs. Arial? Same speed. Making a full UI vs. gray boxes? Same time. Wireframes don’t save time. They just add work.
Serhii Khyzniak, “Wireframes vs Visual Design” is a great example of how the two deliverables have crept closer and closer to one another.
And let’s be real—how often does UX stay the same once you hit "final design"? Never. PMs, BAs—they always tweak. So why do two rounds of work when one does the job?
Atlasmoth Designs transforms ideas into iconic brand identities. Let’s create something unforgettable that drives your success.
Fidelity = A Flow, Not a Step
Stop thinking "low-fi" means "wireframe." Low-fi just means "not polished yet." Need a temp pic? Drop in a block. Need a temp page? Rough it out. But don’t waste time on some half-step you’ll ditch later.
Why Wireframes Won’t Die
They look pro. Clean. Like a blueprint. But that’s a scam. Designs change too much for wireframes to be "set."
And let's be real: Wireframes are design. Just a mid one.
They use type, just a bad one.
They show a layout, just not well.
They pick colors—gray, but still colors.
If wireframes were just about logic, why do UX folks freak out when UI moves a text link? 🤔
Fast UX Hacks We Swear By
State Lists > Wireframes
When we need to move fast, this is the go-to. We list out what the page needs to do, sort by what matters most, and boom—instant roadmap.
No wasting time on tiny details like drop-downs or buttons. Just raw, pure flow that we can shift, cut, and link without stress.
Grey Blocks Over Wireframes
Need a wild guess on space? Skip wireframes—just grey block it.
Grey blocking is quick and dirty—just blobs of FPO (for placement only) blocks that give a feel for space. It’s perfect when we need to see if something can be a one-state flow or if it needs multiple views.
Where the People in the News Get Their News
Read religiously by C.E.O.s and West Wing staffers, Puck brings readers behind closed door conversations across Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, fashion, media, sports, and the art world.
Design System First, Always
If we have a design system, why not start there?
A design is done when it hits the backlog, not when every pixel is flawless. Colors? Fonts? Layouts? Already set. We don’t need to wireframe first, then rebuild in the system—that’s just double work.
Work fast, and clean it up as we go.
Sketch First, Sketch Fast
Most teams sketch, but at the wrong time.
We should sketch instead of wireframing, not before. Dump the ideas on a whiteboard or paper—no need to make it pretty. Just get it out and start designing.
💀 One rule: Skip paper prototyping. That’s design theater—a time trap with zero payoff.
UX Grammar / Concept Maps
This takes state lists and levels it up for complex workflows.
Daniel Rosenberg’s book? A must-read.
Javier Aragones’ post? Also a must-read.
Both break down how to map flows, rules, and patterns in a way that makes sense.
OOUX — The Game Changer
This one hits different.
Sophia Prater’s Object-Oriented UX (OOUX) makes UX way clearer. It’s like UX grammar, but even smarter.
The best part? Non-designers finally get it. No more endless talks about pixels and buttons—just clear priorities, hierarchy, and object links.
And if devs always miss the point, ORCA maps keep them on track. Less confusion, better scale, and faster builds.
Final Thoughts
Wireframes were cool… back when we needed ‘em. But now? They just slow us down.
We need to work smarter, not just "do what’s always been done." Stop worshiping the past. Move forward. Be better.
And no, we don’t need another "final_final_v3_wireframe.psd.”
Gemini Redesigns ‘Plus’ Menu with Canvas & Audio Overviews🧠
This podcast gave me a serious boost—check out ‘Superhuman wins by defying norms and obsessing over details’ by Lenny’s🎵
AI’s Future Unveiled: Insights from Perplexity AI’s CEO📱
Reply