GregBellDesign

Todd Warfel has started a series on creating documentation with InDesign and Illustrator called Wireframing With InDesign and Illustrator. This is a method that I have been testing out for the past few months and I have to say that I love it.

I am pretty sure that I would have a tough time if I ever have to go back to Visio.

The main reason that I love this method is the separation of screens & diagrams from documentation. This allows me to easily re-use patterns within projects as well as across separate projects. This separation also allows me to work in modes:

Creative Mode: When I am working creatively I don't want to be thinking about how I should document and write notes. I do, however, want to be concentrating on whatever it may be that I am thinking about: interactions, content, structure, etc.

Documenting Mode: After I have iterated and figured out what it is that I want, then I can go through and document it thoroughly.

Using InDesign and Illustrator allows me to separate these modes, not only mentally, but also through the piece of software that I use. This has worked for me and made it easier to make great documentation with less time spent thinking about software.

My other argument for using InDesign and Illustrator comes down to what it is that we are trying to create. If you are going to create a 100 page document, what software would you use? If you asked anybody who has spent any time making many 100 page documents outside of the UX community, they would probably say InDesign, Quark or Word. And Word would probably be used more by business professionals who don't have the time to learn InDesign. Any design professional would immediately say InDesign or Quark.

So why would it be any different for us?

Check out: Wireframing With InDesign and Illustrator