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How do you plan an apps gui


Zimmer

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thats... not a hierarchy chart at all, and why would he want to do a flowchart? puesdocode code doesnt even fit here... What hes after is do you map out or plan for GUI creation.

Anywho for me its kinda a no, i use Photoshop to prototype my GUI, then create and skin it in what ever language im using.

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I just grab a sheet of paper and draw it, or I'll build a GUI in visual studio that does nothing. I heard that you could also use Visio to build a GUI, but I haven't tried it personally. Regardless of what OS you're building your GUI for, it's best to sketch it out on paper so you don't forget any details.

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Depends on what the client wants. If it's a large Job ($$$) I'll story board with sample layouts colourful looking icon's / buttons.

Ring bind it all and send if off to the client.

You sir, are on point.

Sometimes flowcharts give you something to do for your job, and reguardless what the other guy said priviously, drawing a picture of what you want your site or GUI or whatever is a heirarchy chart. From there you look and see what modules,functions, databases, encryption,ect.. that you will need from there on your little photoshop page design.

If you are doing a large project (or anything for a big biz) then you will need to make the flowcharts, puesdocodes and all of that stuff, you can do amatuer work some are doing and sell yourself on craigslist (coder for hire with no perm job) .(Not directed to you Mr. Grimm, but people will know if it is directed towards them or not) or do it big and make big money.. own a home, jacuzzi and smoke a cigar in it

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

You should look into UML. This is a standard in not only creating your GUI, but designing your classes, functions, and sub procedures. UML includes many different types of diagrams including: Class diagrams, Component diagrams, Deployement diagrams, Object diagrams, and Package diagrams. I'm sure there are others, but basically UML is a structure and modeling standard that many application developers use. The elements include: actors, business processes, logical components, activities, programming language statments, and database schemas.

Modeling is very important, especially for larger applications where there are many developers and anaylists. It is also nice for smaller applications and for documentation purposes as well.

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I like to tell a story when I am making a GUI, I often do this by putting together a power point showing various flows through the program. (Yeah, yet another use for power point)

Visio has GUI mock up tools as well. I have never used them, but you may want to look at that.

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Modeling is very important, especially for larger applications where there are many developers and anaylists. It is also nice for smaller applications and for documentation purposes as well.

Agreed, but I have always found class diagrams to be what UML is really good at modeling, I don't think I would recommend it for a GUI. That is just me though.

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Wow thanks for all the feedback :-). As for gui I have never had any "formal training" and I often just start coding but then again I also don't understand such things that are regarded as standard or good practice (unit testing, design patterns etc.), but this is probably because I have never even followed a tutorial for coding (well python I did for a little bit but then just started learning by what I needed). As for designing class, etc I would (if I even do) just usually open up a new text file and start writing ideas etc. BTW: any one got any good tuts on unit testing (all those I found never show why, it seems all those things they test for (as example )they already now are errors (and therefore why not just handle any errors))?

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  • 1 month later...

I usually use visio for diagrams, write pseudocode, and create skeleton GUIs in visual studio. Using Visual Studio to design interfaces is great because even if your not going to be coding in it, and the final product isn't going to be produced there. It takes less then 5 minutes to make a working GUI. As with all aspects of IT the more you document what your doing, the better. Get in a habit of it.

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For the GUI I will typically just grab a pen and paper and sketch out what I have in my mind at that specific moment in time, that way I can get what I am thinking onto paper ASAP and later clean it up in a software package; usually Photoshop, or using the built-in drawing tools with Word.

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  • 4 months later...

for personal projects, i tend to draw it out on paper off by heart every few days.

and each time is gets a little more refined.

I'm a bit of a usability perfectionist so.. i'm never happy. I'm always shifting things around right up until its finished.

I think the hardest part is making sure at the very beginning, you have enough back-end to support any future wacky GUI ideas you might come up with.

So follow good standards and good practices, and keep things as modular as possible. And then it doesn't matter what it looks like, coz the seconds someone complains, you can change it at the drop of a hat!

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As part of any application or interface design, its always important to make a mock up or a prototype of it. That way you have a clear picture of how your design will come to be and if there is any aspect of it that doesn't stand out, you can change it before it goes live.

Its all part of good standards and good practices as stated about by Jtcgreyfox

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