In this chapter we will begin building a project. When completed, it will be yours to show off to prospective employers, colleagues, and clients alike. The material covered will also set the stage for the rest of the book, as we will cover not only wireframe design, but also design concepts often found in larger team projects, such as proper alignment, design layout, UI architecture, and how to think about your work in a larger context. The following is what we will cover in this chapter:
- The project files
- Organizing your Balsamiq files
- The project
- Alignment
- Layering
- Grouping layers
- Putting it all together
To make your job easier and to help you focus on the tasks at hand, I have provided files that I will be referring to throughout the remainder of this book. While you are free to design your own, I think you will find using the files I have provided to be an invaluable tool towards a greater understanding of Balsamiq and wireframing in general, especially if you are new to it.
Tip
Downloading the example code
You can download the example code files for all Packt books you have purchased from your account at http://www.packtpub.com. If you purchased this book elsewhere, you can visit http://www.packtpub.com/support and register to have the files e-mailed directly to you.
Once downloaded, you will need to unzip a file called balsamiq_project_files. When you open the folder, you will see a bunch of .bmml files—.bmml is the file extension that Balsamiq uses for wireframe files—and a folder called assets.