The importance of a good concept, sketches and mockups

The assumption is that I am not a designer, or at least I don't consider myself such.
Very often when we start a new project, we immediately start writing code, or we have the strong temptation to do so.
I don't think that it is a good approach.

You can realize that the first time you get to work with some mock-ups.It is another world.
It is a aweosome world.
If you can't work with a designer, you should look for a good designer. As last choise, you can still do something alone.
It is not easy, it can't be easy, there are people who do it as a job.
I'am not able to teach anything about this field, but it is essential to know how to look at the sketches, or at least how to use a bit some tools.

If you want to make sketches, just a pencil and paper .....certainly need to know how to draw ...
I find so amazing the material that has released for free by Taylor Ling.
You can find here printable-a4-gui-sketching
Ok, download it, print it , take a pencil and draw your idea.
I have this idea in my head ... new navigation drawer, list with some actions, a simple detail view. Why not, a long press action in list...
Of course, is not so easy.. it is just an example.


Definitely not beautiful, but they give an idea ...
Now you can code it, more quickly.

We can try to go a bit more in there, but unpretentious.
We can download Stencils source from Android Developer.
Even in this case, Taylor reelased an awesome kit for Photoshop, and a screen flow template.

Now they are available for N4...I hope that in future they can be available also for N7 and N10.

Let's try this ... play a bit with the levels, masks, contents...
Navigation drawer..

A list..

A simple gesture as long press..


They look real ... but they are only mockups.
Here the flow

The scope of this post is not to explain how to use these tools, because as I have said can't do it ..
The real purpose is to understand that it is very important to make some sketches of the app, before starting to develop.
Save yourself a lot of time.

And for the more difficult projects?
For these, there are designers ..

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