Creating Prototypes with SketchFlow

Michael Sorens has an interesting article on Simple Talk about using SketchFlow which comes with Microsoft Expression Blend to create prototypes for WPF applications. The same is true for Silverlight applications as well. You can read the article here..

http://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/.net-tools/creating-wpf-prototypes-with-sketchflow/

I have been using Expression Blend for a while now and have found the Sketchflow engine to be quite helpful in prototyping new applications. Of course, you have to realize that although Michael says it does output WPF’ish type code which is true…it is not as if you can wave a magic wand and go from Sketchflow to full bore WPF framework just like that.

In my experience, Sketchflow allows you to more uniquely attack the idea of using wireframes in requirements gathering. It basically gives you a semi-live model to play with in order for your users to get a true ‘feeling’ of how the UI will be laid out and how you will interact with it. I am going to have to put this on the board to write a complete post about because these little blurbs just do not do justice to what Sketchflow can do for you in the initial phases of your development projects. That is unless you like to write crappy, non-functional UIs…..yeah right!

Cheers,
AJ