iPad Killer App for the BA
This blog post originally appeared on BetterProjects.net on March 31, 2010.
Earlier this month, I put up a post about ways in which the iPad could impact a BA. One of the things I really want on the iPad is a way to do easy process flow diagrams. Today I saw a preview video which made me think of another app for the iPad that could be really useful: mockups.
There are people who will argue, with some validity, that a BA does not do mockups or prototypes. I disagree, mostly due to a principle called IKIWISI (I Know It When I See It). Most users I have worked with can not articulate exactly what it is they want, but give them a rough drawing of your interpretation of their idea and they can immediately tell you what they like and don’t like about it. That’s not to say a BA does final design work, especially art direction, but basic layout tools can be an enormous help when eliciting user requirements.
It is from that viewpoint that I present to you iMockups for iPad. Check it out:
I love this. Its touch friendly. Its minimal. Its something I can draw on with my users right in front of me. Its something I can make a snapshot of and stick right inside of a requirements document.
That’s not to say I’m ready to purchase an iPad, mostly because I do mockups about once every 6 months and the investment for an iPad just to do mockups would not show a significant return on the investment. Still, I find the concept very fascinating.
Do any of you see the possibility of using a tool like this in your job? Let us know in the comments.