I just found out about ScreenSteps, a utility that promises to simplify the software documentation process. Anyone who’s done this for a living knows how difficult it can be to keep track of all your images, annotate them properly, and create a concise, easy to follow document that can be used by a variety of audiences. ScreenSteps promises to make this less of a chore.
Even though it’s primary audience seems to be technical writers and docs specialists, I can see how ScreenSteps might be used by user-centered design practitioners who are creating wireframes. I’ve had the(unfortunate) task of having to produce several copies of wireframes, each with a different level of detail: one for interaction designers, one for developers, and one for the client who wants a quick and dirty overview of how the feature is going to look in the finished product. With ScreenSteps, I could create one set of richly-detailed wireframes, capture screenshots from those wireframes, and then quickly build “executive summary” style design documents that can be used for client walk-throughs.
Hm. It’s enough to make me wish I was still working in the IxD field.
