" In contrast, the UI of the site is something that should be cranked out relatively quickly. I’m sure some will disagree with me on this point, but what I’ve found over and over again is that what we think is the best way is never really the best way."
Jon, count me as one to disagree with you on this point. Let's set aside the graphic design of a UI for sec and discuss the "other" elements of the user experience - information architecture and interaction design. These need as much forethought as does a DB schema. In this age of RIAs, interaction design has a huge influence over how the user will perceive your product's brand. IA will have an impact on form elements, which does impact your data model. Understanding the impact of both IA and interaction design trickles into decisions about how you manage "state" and structure your data calls. My team has had to rescue several train wrecks in the past year when product teams took the "we'll polish the UI later" attitude.
What I recommend is to perform lo-fidelity prototyping of the interaction design and IA prior to investing the effort to make pixel-perfect UI comps. A good BA can crank this out in Visio. Or a good designer can use the latest features in Fireworks CS4 to create clickable PDF prototypes to show to potential customers. Heck, you can even have a designer hand sketch the prototype.
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Last 1 comment by Darrell Ross
Jon, count me as one to disagree with you on this point. Let's set aside the graphic design of a UI for sec and discuss the "other" elements of the user experience - information architecture and interaction design. These need as much forethought as does a DB schema. In this age of RIAs, interaction design has a huge influence over how the user will perceive your product's brand. IA will have an impact on form elements, which does impact your data model. Understanding the impact of both IA and interaction design trickles into decisions about how you manage "state" and structure your data calls. My team has had to rescue several train wrecks in the past year when product teams took the "we'll polish the UI later" attitude.
What I recommend is to perform lo-fidelity prototyping of the interaction design and IA prior to investing the effort to make pixel-perfect UI comps. A good BA can crank this out in Visio. Or a good designer can use the latest features in Fireworks CS4 to create clickable PDF prototypes to show to potential customers. Heck, you can even have a designer hand sketch the prototype.
BTW - your other points are spot on!