Erin Malone Product Design Director AOL Web Properties Using Flowmaps in a team Steps to increase their effectiveness

A well used flowmap can reduce the amount of assumptions made by members of a product team.

Small flowmap - (11x17, bw) identifies decision points in process There is no detail on the screens. Start small - quickly exposes key decisions - quickly identifies holes/issues - quickly identifies page counts - build consensus about functionality

Large map is tacked to a 4x8 sheet of foam core. Can easily be carried into meetings and written on. Get Big Quick - provides details - allows annotation by the team

Annotate Well - identify name of project - date the map - provide author and contact info - name your screens

Layer More Information On - use an identifier for inventory count or different states of common screens - include URLs as references for engineering. - encrypted pages, partner-provided content, integrating applications should all be noted

Document the common language - create a legend - use standardized symbols - be consistent

Use Color - group like type screens together - identify discrete processes or tasks - different team members can focus on different zones

Iterate - begin with wireframes - gradually add detail - eventually convert to screenshots Wireframes used in flow with annotation Screens converted to screenshots once HTML is complete. More info is layered as it is decided.

Engineering team gathers around flowmap of current project. Share the map often & USE IT - the map is a working tool - remember the map is not the PRODUCT

Map shown with calendar of delivery milestones and engineering diagrams Place in central working areas

Questions, changes and solutions are written directly on the map and fed into the iteration cycle. Write on it - The map is not sacred.

Details from two different maps with annotations on post-its Use post it notes to annotate - different colors can indicate different people or times

Start the companion functional spec early - as soon as the initial flow is defined - one screen = one page - walk through site/product and detail functionality from top left of the screen down to the bottom right - iterate and distribute often

Final things to remember - the map and the spec are communication tools and not the end product - it takes a team - the more involved the team is, the better the process - adjust the tools and methods to your team and specific situation

Thanks! Erin Malone AOL Web Properties Personal