Prototyping software tools that work

The Blogosphere is full of posts over what is the best prototyping tool. This fight over Axure, Flash, Dreamweaver, PowerPoint, etc., is misplaced and looks at prototyping as something that is purely a single concrete one size its all activity, or at least one tool fits all. This is misplaced for two reasons. First, this discussion disempowers the designer, product manager, developer who wants to use software tools already at their disposal. Secondly, ignores the fact that prototypes are sometimes created extremely rapidly (like in an hour) or more thoroughly (in a month). The two prototypes on the opposite of these extremes have far different tool requirements. Therefore, it is far better to think of prototyping toolsets.

A prototyper should have many tools just like a mechanic has a toolbox. Otherwise the prototype who knows just one tool is not very effective. Like to the hammer every problem looks like a nail, a designer who knows just one prototyping tool offers just one type of solution when many many more are possible. If you look for a different perspective mainly what are the specific prototyping needs, some surprising prototyping tools emerge.

Specialities
Prototyping tools can usually do some kinds prototyping better than other kinds. Furthermore, you may also prefer to use a certain tool simply because you know it's special features better than another tool.

General Availability
A prototyping tool that is not generally available to the design team makes the team reliant on a chosen few with access. If the resulting file format is also unreadable outside the prototyping tool then access to the prototype is further limited. In some organizations this is a good thing; but when you want to maximize the knowledge of your design team having a prototyping tool set hat empowers people is important.

Interaction styles & Functionality

Tools support certain platforms, interaction styles and functionalities. These actually limit what types of prototypes you can create. For example, if the widget set in your prototyping tool does not support spinners, then spinners will not appear so easily on your prototype. Moreover, the more sophisticated the UX widget set and the interaction capabilities the more conservative and less innovative your prototype will be. Conservative because you are cornered into the widget set and interactive capabilities of the tool.

Design Team Talents
If a design team loves one product, making the switch over to another product robs them of their talent they already have. Of course that can be counterbalanced if there are long term advantages in adding the prototyping to the prototyping toolset.

Deliverable formats

How a prototype will be used is also essential. If the resulting prototype will be a paper prototype. For example, choosing a tool which can print out designs and portions of designs easily would be a factor.

Tools review

There are many different dimensions to look at since prototyping involves multiple dimensions (fidelity, audience, style, etc.) However as one handy table (I can make more if they are helpful, here is a grouping of prototyping tools and what they are most appropriate for. (I will update this table based on user comments.) The table is more or less an overview of a possible look on similar tools. For your personal organization, it might be helpful to list all the tools you know and list for each: advantages, disadvantages, etc.

Methods	Tools
Static wireframe	PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Visio, OmniGraffle, HTML editors, Word
Storyboard	PowerPoint, or other presentation software, Acrobat, Excel
Paper	Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks, Visio, OmniGraffle, HTML editors
Wizard of Oz	WebEx or other video conferencing software or synchronous sharing tools.
Digital partial interactive	Excel, PowerPoint, HTML Editors, Acrobat, Visio, OmniGraffle, Axure
Digital fully interactive	Flash, Dreamweaver and other HTML Editors, Visual Studio, Director, Axure