Clicks & Notes

10 May 2005

A poster from the ASIS&T 2005 Information Architecture Summit, outlining the different kinds of sample data you can use in wireframes:

actual – real data; provides most accurate view of how information will appear; may also be distracting, particulalry if the data changes and the wireframe does not
dummy – made-up data that looks real; best for addresses or other variables that are predictable or follow a specific format
labeled – uses the variable name, with added information such as field length; should include notes on business rules, provide examples
symbolic – field length and data type are illustrated through repeated characters (e.g. “9″, “X"); best used for numbers, currency, or dates
lipsum – fake Latin or Greek text, used as a placeholder; consider rendering lipsum in grey in your wireframe, and superimposing a description of the actual content

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